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Ife  LIBRARY 

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Katie  stood  leaning  listlessly  against  the  foot  of  the  stairs 
Page  188. 

Three  Years  at  Glenivood. 


THREE  YEARS  AT 
GLENWOOD 


A STORY  OF  SCHOOL  LIFE 


By  MARGARET  E.  WINSLOW 

Author  of  “Miss  Malcolm’s  Ten,”  “Katie  Robertson,”  etc. 


A.  L.  BURT  COMPANY,  PUBLISHERS 
NEW  YORK 


COPYRIGHTED,  BY 

CONGREGATIONAL  S.S.  AND  PUBLISHING  SOCIETY 
1885 


8<T> 


PREFACE. 


^ ' In  Katie  Robertson , the  writer  has  endeavored 
H to  set  forth  some  of  the  temptations  incident 
to  the  life  of  girls  supporting  themselves  by  work 
in  a paper-mill ; in  the  present  volume  to  indi- 
cate, those  which  surround  the  same  and  similar 
girls  during  the  boarding-school  preparation  for 
an  active  part  in  life.  In  both,  it  has  been  her  aim 
to  show  that  the  only  armor  in  which  to  resist  all 
temptations,  the  only  strength  in  which  to  meet 
all  responsibility,  the  only  consolation  in  trouble, 
the  only  wisdom  which  can  ensure  success,  lie  in 
the  keeping  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  are  to  be 
had  by  those  who,  having  first  given  themselves 
to  him,  seek  them  by  earnest,  faithful  and  per- 
severing prayer. 

The  incidents  are  nearly  all  true  ones. 
Squantown  is  a real  paper-mill ; Glenwood  is  a 
real  institute ; and  the  characters  are  many  of 

3 


•t 


4 


PREFACE. 


them  so  closely  drawn  from  life,  that  the  writer 
must  apologize  if  the  change  of  names  has  not, 
in  all  cases,  disguised  them  from  the  originals. 

The  little  educational  dialogue  which  occurs 
in  the  first  part  of  the  book  was  prepared  by 
the  writer  for  one  of  the  younger  departments 
of  the  institute  which  has  served  as  a model  of 
Glenwood.  It  has  never  been  printed ; and 
though,  as  the  reader  will  observe,  not  in  full 
sympathy  with  the  prevalent  fashion  of  thus 
exhibiting  little  ones,  she  offers  it  to  the  public 
as  both  suitable  for  a school  entertainment,  and 
as  containing  nothing  which  can  be  considered 
objectionable  by  the  most  fastidious. 

The  school  prayer-meetings,  so  minutely  de- 
tailed, are  exact  reproductions  of  those  once 
carried  on  in  the  same  institution  ; and  the  story 
of  Lilian's  conversion  is  verbatim.  Whatever 
may  be  the  reader's  opinion  of  this  attempt  to 
carry  on  evangelistic  work  in  a secular  school, 
the  writer  cannot  but  cherish  a hope  that  some 
young  soul,  yearning  for  a better  and  purer 
life,  may  be  led  by  this  description  to  see  how 
simple  and  easy  a thing  it  is  to  believe  in 
Jesus. 


PREFACE . 


5 


With  this  hope,  and  the  earnest  prayer  that 
all  readers,  both  young  and  old,  will  not  only 
“seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righ- 
teousness, ” but  also  find  “ added  ” all  other 
things  pleasant  and  profitable  for  this  life  and 
the  next,  this  little  volume  is  sent  forth  to  the 
public. 


CONTENTS, 


Chami*  Pag* 

I.  Homesickness 9 

II.  Sunday  at  Glenwood 26 

III.  School  Life 45 

IV.  Boarding-school  Fun 63 

V.  Sunday  Visiting 80 

VI.  A Wasted  Opportunity  . . . . 100 

VII.  Commencing  an  Education  . . . 114 

VIII.  Backbiting 13 1 

IX.  Helen  Lorne 149 

X.  A Christian  Sunday 168 

XI.  Breaking  Rules 189 

XII.  Mademoiselle  Pauline's  Theory  . 21 1 

XIII.  Busy  Weeks 227 

XIV.  Cleared 244 

XV.  Vacation  and  Re-opening  . . . 257 

XVI.  A Faithful  Teacher’s  Work  . . 278 

7 


S CONTENTS. 

XVII.  From  Death  unto  Life  . . 

XVIII.  The  Second  Vacation  . . . 

XIX.  The  Senior  Year  . . . . 
XX.  Commencement.  . . , . . 


. . 295 

• • 3i4 

. . 329 

. . 344 


THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


CHAPTER  I. 

HOMESICKNESS. 

YOUNG  girl  of  about  fifteen  sat  rather 
disconsolately  by  the  window  of  a long, 
wide  room  at  the  close  of  a cool  Sep- 
tember day,  looking  out  into  the  street,  where 
nothing  more  attractive  presented  itself  than 
dry,  brown  leaves  whirled  along  the  dusty  pave- 
ments, and  the  flat  surfaces  of  the  many-win- 
dowed brick  houses  on  the  other  side  of  the 
way.  Even  these  windows  offered  nothing  of 
interest,  for,  most  of  the  inhabitants  being  still 
in  the  country,  the  houses  were  closed,  and  dust 
and  cobwebs  ornamented  the  neglected  blinds 
and  ledges.  The  room  inside,  with  its  long 
rows  of  shining  desks,  its  blackboards,  maps, 
and  globes,  with  the  sociable  square  of  class 
9 


IO  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


settees  in  the  centre,  might  have  been  pleas- 
anter objects  had  the  little  girl  taken  the 
trouble  to  look  at  them.  Indeed,  when  she  first 
saw  them  two  days  ago,  they  seemed  to  her  the 
most  beautiful  objects  in  the  world,  as  repre- 
senting her  long  cherished  desire  for  a complete 
education.  But  to-night  she  was  homesick,  and 
homesickness  is  a disease  which  makes  every- 
thing around  us  seem  different,  and  throws  a 
shadow  upon  the  brightest  things. 

Three  days  ago  Katie  Robertson  had  come 
from  her  country  home,  and  entered  Glenwood 
Seminary,  bidding  her  uncle,  who  had  brought 
her  there,  good-by  in  high  spirits,  and  com- 
mencing her  new  life  with  great  enthusiasm. 
Passing  examinations,  being  classified,  getting 
accustomed  to  school  routine,  unpacking  and 
arranging  her  pretty  new  wardrobe  in  the  clos- 
ets and  drawers  assigned  to  it,  had  filled  up  the 
intervening  time  very  busily,  and  left  no  spare 
moments  for  intrusive  thoughts  of  home.  But 
now  it  was  Saturday ; there  was  no  school  on 
that  day,  and  the  girls  who  had  anywhere  to  go 
to  were  all  out  enjoying  their  holiday,  while  our 
young  friend,  not  knowing  how  to  find  her  way 


HOMESICKNESS . 


II 


alone  about  a strange  city,  sat  disconsolately 
in  the  great  school-room,  and  thought  very  sadly 
and  somewhat  tearfully  of  the  gay  group  who 
were  in  all  probability  about  that  time  gathering 
about  the  home  tea-table.  There  was  Eric,  her 
eldest  brother,  and  Tessa,  the  Italian,  who  had 
been  her  friend  and  room-mate  so  long,  and  who 
had  come  to  seem  to  her  more  like  a sister  than 
a mere  acquaintance,  There  was  Gretchen,  the 
German,  stolid  but  steady,  and  giving  all  of  her 
heart  that  could  be  spared  from  her  own  home 
and  its  dear  ones  across  the  sea  to  those  who 
had  so  kindly  been  as  a second  family  to  her ; 
and  there  were  the  three  other  factory-girls  to 
whom,  at  the  close  of  the  dangerous  illness 
through  which  she  had  nursed  them,  her  mother 
had  offered  a home  in  exchange  for  the  cheerless 
life  of  the  crowded  factory  boarding-house, 
giving  them  far  more  than  the  small  amount  of 
board  which  they  were  able  to  pay  could  have 
secured  to  them  in  any  other  way. 

And  there,  chiefest  of  all,  was  the  mother 
from  whom  the  little  girl  had  never  before  been 
separated  for  a day,  and  who  must  be  looking 
with  a sadness  almost  equal  to  her  own  upon 


12  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

the  two  vacant  places,  not  to  be  filled  again  by 
their  rightful  occupants,  Katie,  and  Alfred,  the 
other  brother,  whom  her  uncle  had  taken  to  his 
school  at  Dalton  for  nearly  a year.  Even  the 
demure  old  pussy-cat  came  into  Katie’s  thoughts 
as  she  drew  for  herself  this  vivid  home-picture, 
and  she  shed  a few  more  tears  which,  had  they 
reached  it,  might  have  dimmed  the  lustre  of  the 
beautifully  kept  fur  coat. 

Then,  as  this  was  Saturday  night,  the  home- 
sick girl’s  thoughts  went  on  to  Sunday  morning, 
when  all  the  girls  of  her  class  would  gather 
around  Miss  Etta  Mountjoy  in  the  beautiful 
Sunday-school  chapel  built  by  her  father  and 
brother.  She  pictured  the  girls  as  they  came 
in,  one  after  the  other,  saw  Miss  Etta’s  bright 
smile,  heard  her  morning  greeting,  and  then 
she  seemed  to  be  joining  once  more  in  the 
prayers  and  hymns  which  had  made  the  Sun- 
day-school and  church  so  precious. 

But  with  that  last  memory  came  better  and 
happier  thoughts.  The  same  God  who  was 
worshipped  at  Squantown  was  equally  near  at 
Glenwood.  He  had  loved  her,  taken  care  of 
her,  and  led  her  to  Himself  there ; certainly  He 


HOMESICKNESS. 


13 


would  not  cease  to  be  watchful  over  her  now 
that  she  was  so  far  away  from  all  she  had  ever 
known  and  loved,  and  was,  besides,  surrounded 
by  so  many  new  temptations.  She  had  in  the 
church  at  Squantown  openly  given  herself  to 
Him  and  His  service.  That  meant  that  she 
would  accept  and  do  his  will  — was  she  not 
rebelling  a little  against  that  will  now  ? And 
then  there  came  to  her  the  memory  of  sweet 
Bible  words  : “ Casting  all  your  care  upon  Him, 
for  He  careth  for  you ; ” and  as  she  thought 
of  what  they  meant  she  knelt  down  in  the 
gathering  darkness  of  the  lonely  room  and 
asked  her  heavenly  Father  to  make  her  always 
willing  and  happy  to  do  His  will)  to  comfort  her 
in  her  loneliness,  and  to  enable  her  to  resist  the 
temptations  incident  to  her  new  position,  and 
to  honor  Him  and  His  cause  wherever  she 
might  be  placed. 

Then  there  came  to  her,  almost  as  if  it  had 
been  whispered  in  her  ear,  “ Lo,  I am  with  you 
always,”  “I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake 
thee,”  and  from  that  moment  Katie  never  again 
felt  that  she  was  alone. 

Hardly  had  she  risen  from  her  knees  when  a 


14 


THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


light  step  was  heard  in  the  hall,  and  a cheerful 
voice  was  heard  in  the  gathering  darkness, 
saying,  — 

“ Miss  Robertson,  where  are  you  ? we ’ve  been 
looking  for  you  everywhere.  Miss  Perry  says 
your  room-mate  has  arrived  and  you  are  to  come 
and  welcome  her.” 

“Who  is  she,”  said  Katie,  rising  and  joining 
the  two  girls  who  stood  waiting  for  her  at  the 
door.  To  tell  the  truth,  she  was  a little  afraid 
of  this  strange  room-mate,  whose  expected  ar- 
rival this  afternoon  had  driven  her  to  seek 
refuge  in  the  lonely  school-room.  What  would 
she  be  like  ? Would  she  be  a city  girl,  “ stuck 
up  ” and  overdressed,  or  a gentle  and  lovable  girl 
like  Tessa  ? Was  she  a little  one  to  be  seen  to 
and  cared  for  ; a “ Senior,”  who  would  look 
upon  her  as  a “ little  one  ; ” or  a nice  girl  of 
her  own  age  with  whom  she  could  study,  and 
of  whom  she  could  make  a companion.  No  one 
had  told  her  anything  about  the  expected  “ new 
girl,”  and  as  yet  she  was  too  strange  and  timid 
to  ask  the  teachers.  “ Who  is  she,  what  is  she 
like  ? ” she  repeated  as  she  joined  the  girls  and 
went  down  stairs. 


HOMESICKNESS . 


IS 


“ I did  n’t  hear  her  name,  and  I did  n’t  see 
her.  A lady  came  with  her,  and  they  both 
went  into  the  drawing-room,  which  you  know  is 
tabooed  to  us  ; but  Miss  Perry  came  out  in  a 
few  minutes  and  asked  some  of  us  to  call  Miss 
Robertson,  and  I heard  her  say,  — 

“ Katie  Robertson,  why  I know  her.” 

Here  was  a revelation.  The  new  girl  knew 
her;  she  must  be  from  Squantown,  then,  for 
Katie  had  never  been  anywhere  else.  But  who 
could  she  be  ? and  a review  of  all  the  girls  she 
had  known  at  school  and  in  the  factory  passed 
before  her  as  she  crossed  the  dark  hall,  and  ran 
across  the  garden  from  the  “ Institute  ” to  the 
“ boarding-house,”  but  the  right  person  never 
suggested  itself  to  her  mind  till  the  door  of  the 
drawing-room,  which  was  now  brilliantly  lighted, 
being  thrown  open,  she  saw  — Bertie  Sanderson  ! 

We  will  take  the  opportunity,  while  Katie  is 
showing  her  companion  the  way  up  the  long 
flight  of  stairs  to  the  room  which  henceforth  the 
two  Squantown  girls  are  to  occupy  together,  — 
not  sure  whether  she  is  glad  or  sorry  for  the 
answer  to  her  question,  — to  describe  the  new 
home  into  which  the  girls  are  entering. 


1 6 THREE  YEARS  A T GLENJVOOD. 

Northrop  Institute,  so  named  from  a rich  and 
munificent  lady  whose  donation  of  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  formed  the  foundation  upon 
which  the  beautiful,  commodious,  and  well-exe- 
cuted building  was  constructed,  was  situated  in 
one  of  our  largest  seaboard  cities.  It  accom- 
modated about  eight  hundred  girls,  of  all  ages 
from  five  to  twenty-five,  who  were  classified  into 
separate  departments,  each  with  its  responsible 
teacher.  Besides  these  class  teachers  there 
were  others  in  charge  of  the  departments  of 
art,  accomplishments,  languages,  sciences,  and 
mathematics ; which,  with  the  writing  and 
reading  teachers,  librarians,  and  assistants  of 
various  kinds,  made  up  a corps  of  from  forty 
to  fifty. 

Very  few  of  these  lived  in  the  “ boarding- 
house ” next  door,  where  about  fifty  girls  from 
abroad  were  accommodated  and  cared  for  by 
Miss  Perry,  who  held  no  position  in  the  school, 
and  Miss  Thornton,  an  assistant  teacher.  Two 
music  teachers  also  boarded  in  the  house,  and  a 
French  governess,  with  whom  the  girls  who 
“ took  French  ” were  supposed  to  converse 
at  meal  times  ; the  result  usually  being  that  her 


HOMESICKNESS . 


17 


end  of  the  table  was  conspicuous  amid  the 
general  hubbub,  for  its  almost  total  silence. 

The  “ Institute  ” was  built  in  the  most  ap- 
proved style,  containing  all  that  modern  science 
has  contributed  to  make  life  happy  and  healthy, 
in  the  way  of  furnishing,  ventilation,  and  adorn- 
ment. There  was  a museum  filled  with  a 
fine  collection  of  shells,  minerals,  stuffed  ani- 
mals, coins,  curiosities,  etc. ; a laboratory  whose 
philosophical,  chemical,  and  mechanical  appara- 
tus were  the  envy  of  many  a college  faculty,  and 
a library  of  constantly  accumulating  volumes,  — 
histories,  biographies,  encyclopaedias,  in  short, 
whatever  might  be  of  use  for  reference  in  fur- 
thering the  studies  of  the  girls.  The  walls  of 
both  library  and  halls  were  hung  with  photo- 
graphs of  European  scenery  and  portraits  of 
distinguished  people.  Plaster  casts  of  well- 
known  master-pieces  of  sculpture  filled  the 
niches,  and  flowering  plants  made  summer 
indoors  all  the  year  round. 

The  boarding-house  was  less  costly  in  its 
decorations,  but  equally  comfortable  in  its  ar- 
rangements. There  were  no  dormitories,  but 
two  girls  occupied  each  of  the  sleeping-rooms, 


1 8 THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

There  was  no  general  place  of  gathering  except 
the  large  school-room  in  which  we  first  found 
Katie  Robertson,  where  the  lessons  for  the  next 
day  were  usually  studied  under  the  supervision 
of  Miss  Thornton. 

But  Bertie  Sanderson  has  been  a long  time 
taking  off  her  hat,  and  putting  it  and  her  wraps 
away  in  the  places  provided  for  them,  and  now 
she  turns  to  Katie  and  says,  — 

“You  haven’t  told  me  you  are  glad.  Ain't 
you?” 

“Yes  I am,”  said  her  companion;  and  in 
some  things  she  was.  Bertie  seemed  like  a 
little  piece  of  home,  and  however  averse  she 
might  have  been  formerly  to  such  close  compan- 
ionship, we  remember  that  since  her  sickness 
Bertie  had  become  a changed  girl.  She  was  at 
least  trying  to  do  right,  and  Katie  felt  bound 
to  help  her.  Besides,  as  we  also  know,  the 
free  forgiveness  which  she  gave  her  treach- 
erous companion  at  that  time  brought  with  it  a 
feeling  of  pitying  love  something  like  that  which 
our  Saviour  feels  when  he  forgives  all  our  sins 
against  him,  and  she  put  aside  her  disappoint- 
ment  about  the  imaginary  lovely  young  creature 


HOMESICKNESS . 


If 


who,  in  becoming  her  room-mate,  was  to  1 m.d 
her  up  to  such  heights  of  sentimental  virtue  and 
culture,  and  accepted  the  care  of  her  old  com- 
panion whom  she  would  have  to  influence  for 
good,  if  any  good  was  to  come  out  of  the  com- 
panionship. 

“Yes,  I am  glad,”  she  repeated,  this  time 
with  greater  cordiality  ; “ but  I am  so  surprised. 
How  did  you  happen  to  come  ? How  did  you 
keep  it  such  a secret  ? How  did  you  get  ready 
in  such  a minute  ? ” 

“ One  question  at  a time,  please,  and  I ’ll  take 
the  last  first.  Auntie  had  all  my  dresses  made 
by  her  dress-maker  here,  and  she  got  my  under- 
clothes ready-made,  so  my  things  were  all  ready 
at  her  house  when  I came.  I did  n’t  have  to 
keep  it  a secret  very  long ; that  is,  after  father 
consented,  for  it  was  n’t  decided  till  a few  days 
before  you  left,  and  then  I thought  it  would  be 
such  fun  to  surprise  you  that  I held  my  tongue, 
and  would  n’t  let  anybody  say  a word.  “ I 
happened  to  come  ” because  I determined  I 
would  just  as  soon  as  I knew  that  you  were 
going.  It  was  easy  enough  to  persuade  Ma, 
who  never  did  want  me  to  work  in  the  mill,  and 


20  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENW00D. 

always  said  I should  be  a lady  if  she  could  man« 
age  it,  and  as  Sophronia  and  Lillian,  my  cousins, 
both  attended  Glenwood,  she  thought  it  would 
be  just  splendid.” 

“But  the  trouble  was  with  Pa.  He  said  he 
thought  I could  get  education  enough  for  a mill- 
girl  at  the  night-school  and  by  reading  the 
books  in  the  library,  and  he  did  n’t  like  the  city, 
and  he  could  n’t  afford  it,  and  a heap  of  things. 
But  Ma  made  him  see  at  last  that  I Ve  never 
been  very  strong  since  that  fever,”  — which  was 
the  fact,  — “ and  that  as  educated  people  could 
always  earn  more  than  uneducated  ones,  it 
would  be  a good  investment.  And  he  at  last 
confessed  that  he  could  raise  the  money  now 
that  his  salary  is  higher ; and  then  the  thought 
that  I would  be  with  you,  who  had  always 
done  me  so  much  good,  decided  him  — only  he 
stipulated  that  I should  sleep  with  you  and 
nobody  else.  Ain’t  it  splendid  ? We  ’ll  both  be 
ladies  now,  and  never  have  to  work  in  the  mill 
any  more  ? ” 

“ I don’t  know  what  you  mean,”  said  Katie. 
“ I like  to  work  in  the  mill.  If  my  uncle  had  n’t 
come  from  California  with  so  much  money  and 


HOMESICKNESS. 


21 


offered  to  send  me  to  school,  I should  have 
been  quite  contented  to  work  there  always.  And 
I would  n't  have  accepted  his  offer,  and  left 
home  and  all  of  them  ” (a  little  of  the  old  home- 
sickness here  crept  into  her  tone)  “for  anything 
in  the  world  except  that  I might  by  and  by 
be  more  independent,  and  help  mother  more  as 
she  grows  older.  As  for  being  a lady,  mother 
thinks  we  can  be  that  anywhere,  and  I am  sure 
Miss  Etta  and  Miss  Eunice  think  so  too." 

“ Oh,  well,  you  always  were  queer,  Katie,  but 
you  know  what  I mean,  and  that  makes  me  think 
my  cousins  — I have  been  staying  with  them  for 
two  days  — say  that  we  must  'nt  let  any  one  in 
school  know  that  we  ever  worked  in  the  mill. 
Sophronia  says  that  none  of  the  girls  would 
speak  to  us  if  they  knew,  and  that  it  would 
make  it  very  unpleasant  for  her  and  Lillian,  who 
have  always  been  known  here  as  the  children  of 
rich  people,  if  the  girls  found  out  that  their 
cousin  was  a factory  girl.  So  I promised  them 
I wouldn't  tell,  and  you  must  do  the  same." 

“ I shall  not  make  any  such  promise,"  said 
Katie.  “ I am  not  ashamed  of  anything  I ever 
did  — certainly  not  of  that.  I shall  not  trouble 


22  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


any  one  with  my  home  affairs,  for  I don’t  sup- 
pose they  care  about  them ; but  if  the  matter 
comes  up  I shall  say  just  what  seems  right  at 
the  time,  and  I won’t  promise.  But  there ’s  the 
tea-bell ; we  must  go  right  down,  — the  rules  are 
very  strict.” 

It  was  something  of  an  ordeal  for  our  two 
country  girls  to  walk  the  length  of  the  long 
dining-room  to  the  places  assigned  them  at  the 
end  of  the  table,  under  the  fire  of  fifty  pairs  of 
eyes.  Katie  was  beginning  to  get  used  to  it,  this 
being  her  fourth  day,  but  she  could  not  help  the 
heightened  color  which  rose  beneath  her  down- 
cast eyes.  Bertie,  conscious  of  her  new  and 
city-made  clothes,  attempted  to  hide  her  em- 
barrassment by  a haughty  manner,  which  only 
made  one  girl  whisper  to  her  companion,  “ I 
wonder  who  that  vulgar-looking  country  girl  can 
be?” 

After  tea,  lessons  for  Monday  were  studied 
in  the  long  school-room,  and  at  nine  o’clock  the 
bell  rang  and  every  one  went  to  bed.  On  reach- 
ing her  room,  Bertie  Sanderson  threw  off  her 
clothes,  pitching  them  on  to  the  nearest  chair, 
and  sprang  into  bed  before  the  more  methodical 


HOMESICKNESS. 


23 


Katie,  who  did  justice  to  her  mother’s  teach- 
ings, had  half  disrobed  herself  and  put  her 
things  away,  brushing  out  her  hair  and  taking 
out  the  fresh  underclothing  which  would  be 
needed  in  the  morning,  thus  lightening  as  much 
as  possible  her  Sunday’s  work  After  that  she 
took  up  her  Bible,  for  which  a suitable  place  had 
been  already  found,  read  her  usual  chapter,  and, 
kneeling  down,  once  more  sought  to  have  the 
homesick  feelings  taken  away  by  communing 
with  her  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 

Bertie  looked  on  but  said  nothing  until  her 
companion  asked,  very  gently : 

“ Are  you  done  with  the  light  ? Shall  I put 
it  out  now  ? ” she  answered,  rather  gruffly : 
“Yes,  indeed;  it  has  been  shining  in  my 
eyes  and  keeping  me  awake  for  ever  so  long.” 
“Don’t  you  say  your  prayers,  Bertie  ? ” 

“Yes,  of  course.  But  when  I’m  tired  as  I 
am  to-night  I say  them  in  bed ; it  don’t  make 
any  difference.  God  hears  anywhere,  don’t 
he  ?” 

And  of  course  Katie  could  only  say,  “Yes.” 

“ By  the  by,”  said  Bertie,  suddenly,  “ I forgot 
to  pack  up  my  Bible,  there  was  so  much  to 


24  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

do  ; you  ’ll  lend  me  yours  sometimes,  won’t 
you?” 

“ Of  course  ; but  how  could  you  forget  ? I 
put  mine  in  my  trunk  the  first  of  anything.” 

Bertie  did  not  answer,  and  her  companion 
soon  knew  by  her  regular  breathing  that  she 
was  asleep.” 

Poor  Bertie ! she  was  a Christian ; she  had 
learned  her  own  sinfulness  by  painful  expe- 
rience ; she  had  sought  God’s  forgiveness  and 
given  herself  to  him.  But  she  had  no  good 
habits  to  fall  back  upon.  Her  mother,  a silly, 
worldly  woman,  had  never  taught  her  children 
to  pray,  or,  indeed,  to  do  anything  regularly, 
and  her  religion  thus  far  was  a thing  of  “ fits  and 
starts.”  When  the  circumstances  around  her 
were  of  the  right  kind,  when  the  Sunday-school 
lesson  was  very  impressive,  or  some  particu- 
larly good  influence  was  at  work,  she  would  feel 
as  though  there  was  nothing  in  the  world  to 
live  for  except  religion.  She  then  would  read 
chapter  after  chapter  of  the  Bible,  and  would 
pray  a long  time,  but  when  something  else  oc- 
curred to  interest  her,  — just  now  it  was  going 
to  school,  — religion  would  seem  to  move  a long 


HOMESICKNESS . 


25 


way  off.  She  did  not  give  it  up  exactly,  but  she 
did  not  think  very  much  about  it.  Her  prayers 
became  formal,  and  she  seldom  opened  her  Bible. 
She  fancied  she  could  pray  just  as  well  in  bed, 
but  she  generally,  as  to-night,  fell  asleep  before 
she  had  uttered  more  than  a few  incoherent 
sentences. 

That  is  the  way  a good  many  young  Chris- 
tians live  before  they  have  become  fully  estab- 
lished in  the  ways  of  God.  But  it  is  a very 
unhappy  way,  and  so  they  often  find  out  by 
falling  under  the  power  of  some  ‘temptation 
just  because  they  have  put  off  “the  whole  ar- 
mor of  God,”  which  can  only  be  kept  in  place 
by  constant  prayer  and  study  of  his  holy  word. 


26  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


CHAPTER  II. 

SUNDAY  AT  GLENWOOD. 

UNDAY  morning  dawned  clear  and 
bright.  A cool,  fresh  breeze  was  blow- 
ing, and  the  golden  autumn  sunshine 
glorified  even  the  dusty  city  streets.  Myriads 
of  bells  rang  out  on  the  air,  calling  the  many 
multitudes  of  every  denomination,  or  of  none, 
to  the  house  of  God.  Alas  ! by  how  many  they 
were  totally  unheeded ! Multitudes  lay  in  their 
close,  fetid  bedrooms  till  noon,  under  the  im- 
pression that  this  was  the  way  to  rest  upon  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  after  the  labors  of  the 
other  six.  Multitudes  more,  looking  upon  Sun- 
day as  a day  of  worldly  pleasure,  spent  it  in  the 
public  parks  or  in  excursions  to  the  neighboring 
suburban  towns,  coming  home  late  at  night  a 
great  deal  more  tired  than  they  would  have 
been  had  they  worked  all  day.  Still  others,  who 
did  not  consider  such  open  Sabbath  desecration 


SUNDA  Y AT  GLEN  WOOD, . 

quite  respectable,  rose  late,  devoted  themselves 
to  an  uncommonly  luxurious  dinner,  yawning 
away  the  afternoon  and  evening,  and  wishing 
the  sacred  hours  well  over.  Such  people  have 
not  learned  to  “call  the  Sabbath  a delight, 
the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honorable.” 

But  our  little  Katie  loved  the  Sabbath.  The 
sacred  day  had  been  to  her  for  many  years  a 
sweet  and  precious  time,  and  she  would  have 
been  glad  had  its  hours  been  twice  as  long,  and 
had  there  been  twice  as  many  services.  Early 
as  she  had  been  in  the  habit  of  rising  on  other 
days  in  order  to  reach  the  factory,  she  had 
never  thought  of  lying  in  bed  any  later  on  Sun- 
days, and  thus  not  only  did  her  assistance  enable 
her  mother  to  get  through  her  daily  housework 
in  time  to  attend  the  morning  service  at  church, 
but  also  Katie  herself  gained  several  quiet  hours 
for  the  study  of  her  Sunday-school  lesson,  which 
perhaps  otherwise,  in  her  busy  life,  would  not 
have  been  so  well  prepared. 

She  was  quite  surprised,  therefore,  on  this 
first  Sunday  in  the  city,  that  the  rising  bell  did 
not  ring  at  its  usual  hour.  She  thought  she 
must  have  mistaken  the  strokes  of  the  clock, 


28  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

and  tried  to  compose  herself  to  sleep  again,  but 
in  vain ; and  when  another  hour  had  passed, 
and  there  were  unmistakably  eight  strokes,  she 
sprang  from  the  bed  and,  waking  her  com- 
panion, shouted,  — 

“ Wake  up,  Bertie ! hurry  ! we  have  overslept 
ourselves  and  not  heard  the  bell ; it ’s  breakfast- 
time and  we  shall  both  get  bad  marks ; ” and 
suiting  the  action  to  the  word  she  began  to  dress 
in  a great  hurry. 

“ That ’s  only  the  first  bell,”  said  Bertie, 
sleepily. 

“ It  must  be  the  breakfast  bell,”  said  Katie : 
“ I did  n’t  hear  any  other,  to  be  sure,  but  it ’s 
eight  o’clock,  and  that’s  breakfast-time.” 

“ Not  on  Sunday,”  said  Bertie ; “ people 
always  sleep  later  on  Sunday  morning.  We  do 
at  home,  and  at  my  aunt’s  they  never  have 
breakfast  till  ten  o’clock  on  Sunday.” 

“ How  do  they  get  ready  for  Sunday-school, 
then  ? ” 

“ Oh,  Sunday-school ’s  in  the  afternoon  ; but  I 
do  n’t  believe  they  go  half  the  time.  At  home 
I used  to  have  a hard  time  to  get  ready, 
but  I managed  it  somehow.  Oh  dear,  how 


SUNDAY  AT  GLENWOOD. 


29 


sleepy  lam!”  and  she  turned  over  for  another 
nap. 

Katie,  however,  dressed  herself  as  quickly  as 
was  her  wont,  and  sitting  down  by  the  one  win- 
dow with  her  Bible,  enjoyed  half  an  hour  think- 
ing of  the  dear  home  so  far  away,  and  realizing 
that  the  same  Saviour  who  had  been  her  friend 
in  the  old  days  there  was  as  really  her  friend  here, 
would  take  care  of  all  the  dear  ones  there,  and 
help  her  here  to  resist  temptation  and  to  glorify 
Him  in  whatever  situation  she  might  be  placed. 

About  a quarter  before  nine,  Bertie  sprang 
out  of  bed  in  a great  hurry,  and,  seeing  how 
her  companion  was  engaged,  said,  — 

“ There,  I must  read  my  chapter  this  morn- 
ing ; I have  n’t  remembered  it  since  I left  home,” 
and  she  hurried  through  her  preparations  with 
all  the  speed  she  could.  But  before  the  refrac- 
tory hair  was  quite  in  order  the  great  clock 
down-stairs  struck  nine,  and  at  the  same  mo- 
ment the  breakfast-bell  pealed  through  the 
house. 

“ Come,  Bertie,  aren’t  you  ready  ? ” said  Katie, 
closing  her  Bible ; “ we  'll  get  bad  marks,  you 
know,  if  we  ’re  late.” 


30  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENW00D. 

"Yes,  I suppose  so,”  said  the  latter,  putting 
in  the  last  hair-pin  ; “ oh,  dear ! there ’s  my  chap- 
ter, I never  do  find  time  for  that ; well,  I ’ll  have 
to  wait  till  after  breakfast,”  and  she  followed 
her  friend  down  stairs. 

Boarding-school  breakfasts  are  not  very  luxu- 
rious as  a rule,  but  the  table  at  Glenwood  had 
the  reputation  of  being  a very  good  one,  and  to 
our  two  country  girls  the  table  and  its  appoint- 
ments seemed  very  elegant  and  the  fare  very 
good.  The  Sunday  morning  breakfasts  were 
better  than  those  of  other  days,  and  as  there 
were  no  pressing  school  duties  to  follow,  the 
girls  lingered  long  at  the  table,  enjoying  their 
relays  of  griddle-cakes  till  the  clock  again  struck ; 
then  Katie  Robertson  whispered  to  the  girl  next 
to  her,  — 

“How  will  we  ever  be  ready  for  Sunday- 
school  and  church  ? ” 

“ Church  is  n’t  till  eleven,  and  we  don’t  go  to 
Sunday-school.  There’s  a Bible-class  for  the 
girls  in  Miss  Perry’s  study  at  three  o’clock  this 
afternoon.  You  won’t  like  it,  though ; none  of 
us  do.  I always  shirk  it  when  I can.” 

Katie  began  to  wonder  as  she  remembered 


SUNDA  y AT  GLENWOOD.  3 ! 

Miss  Etta’s  lively,  intelligent  teaching,  and 
Miss  Eunice’s  quiet,  earnest  talks,  how  any  one 
could  want  to  shirk  a Bible-class,  but  at  that 
moment  her  wondering  was  cut  short  by  a 
signal  at  which  all  the  girls  drew  back  their 
chairs  and  Miss  Perry  proceeded  to  read  a chap- 
ter from  the  Bible,  followed  by  a short  prayer, 
which  she  read  from  a thin  book  in  so  low  a 
tone  of  voice  that  very  few  of  the  girls  heard 
it.  Several,  we  are  sorry  to  say,  took  this 
time  for  sundry  whispered  confidences  with 
each  other. 

Morning  prayers  were  not  a regular  thing  at 
the  boarding-house.  The  hour  between  break- 
fast and  school-time  was  too  precious  to  be  spent 
in  that  way.  Some  of  the  many  who  used  the  few 
pianos  were  obliged  to  seize  that  time  for  “ prac- 
tising ; ” some  went  out  for  their  regular  and 
hated  morning  walk ; others  made  up  the  arrears 
of  unprepared  lessons  ; and  as  the  school  session 
always  opened  with  public  prayers  in  the  chapel 
it  was  considered  that  these  few  moments  were 
all  that  could  be  spared  out  of  the  busy  day  for 
the  service  of  God.  But  Sunday  was  a spe- 
cialty, and  the  teachers  In  the  boarding-house 


32  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOOD. 


often  found  it  difficult  to  fill  up  the  long,  sacred 
hours  for  their  charges  in  a creditable  manner  : 
hence,  everything  that  was  done  was  done  slowly 
and  made  to  occupy  as  much  time  as  possible. 

Prayers  over,  the  boarders  were  dismissed 
with  the  words,  “ Please  be  in  time,  young  la- 
dies, ten  minutes  to  eleven,”  and  all  went  to 
their  rooms  to  dress  for  church. 

Bertie  Sanderson  thought  of  her  neglected 
chapter,  and  was  just  going  to  open  Katie’s 
Bible,  but  she  decided  that,  as  it  was  now  twenty 
minutes  past  ten,  perhaps  she  had  better  dress 
first  and  then  devote  what  time  there  was  left  to 
her  reading.  Bertie  had  not  yet  learned  to  “ seek 
j first  the  kingdom  of  God,”  and  trust  to  find 
time  afterwards  for  all  the  “ other  things.” 

Dressing  for  church  this  first  Sunday  morn- 
ing was  an  important  business,  at  least  to  Bertie 
Sanderson,  whose  winter  “suit”  had  been 
provided  by  her  aunt  in  a style  of  magnificence 
tfery  unsuitable  to  the  young  girl’s  position 
either  as  a school  girl  or  an  overseer’s  daughter. 
But  Mrs.  Cleveland  had  argued : The  dress  is  my 
gift,  and  I have  a right  to  make  it  as  handsome 
as  I like.  I want  my  sister’s  child,  for  once,  to 


SUNDAY  AT  GLENWOOD. 


33 


look  as  well  as  my  own  do,  and  a girl’s  standing 
among  her  companions  depends  largely  upon 
the  beauty  of  her  clothes.  So  the  suit  had 
been  chosen  and  made  according  to  the  latest 
dictates  of  fashion,  and  fitted  Bertie  to  perfec- 
tion. It  was  not  so  showy  as  the  purple  silk  for 
which  she  had  once  been  so  anxious,  but  it  was 
much  more  beautiful  ; and  as  the  young  girl  ob- 
served how  well  the  rich,  dark  hues  toned  down 
her  somewhat  high  color  and  coarse  features, 
and  the  tight-fitting  basque  pinched  in  her  large, 
muscular  waist,  while  the  delicate  kid  gloves, 
“ to  match,”  covered  her  rough,  red  hands,  she 
thought  she  looked  quite  as  well  as  “ Miss 
Etta,”  whose  wonderful  toilettes  had,  in  the  old 
times,  so  excited  the  envy  and  admiration  of 
Squantown. 

Bertie  had  laid  aside  her  brass  jewelry,  and 
ceased  to  adorn  her  frowzy  hair  with  soiled 
ribbons,  when  she  professed  herself  a follower 
of  Christ ; she  had  learned  to  be  neat  and  lady- 
like, and  in  the  months  which  followed  her  long 
sickness,  her  repentance  for  her  sin  against 
Katie,  and  her  happy  finding  of  Jesus  as  her 
Saviour,  had  thought  much  less  than  formerly 


34  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

about  the  outward  adornment  of  her  person. 
But  Bertie  was  Bertie  still.  The  same  tastes 
lay  in  her  heart,  the  same  home  influences  still 
surrounded  her,  and  it  would  take  a long  time 
and  many  battles  fought  in  the  strength  of 
God’s  Holy  Spirit  to  undo  the  evil  teachings  of 
her  worldly  aunt  and  silly  mother. 

Girls  who  have  such  enemies  to  battle  with 
need  to  live  very  close  to  the  Lord  in  daily, 
constant  prayer  and  study  of  His  word  ; that  is 
the  armor  in  which  they  are  to  fight,  the  means 
by  which  they  are  to  resist  temptation.  But, 
as  we  have  seen,  Bertie  was  putting  off  her 
armor  by  neglecting  to  pray  and  read  her  Bible, 
and  no  wonder  she  fell  an  easy  prey  to  the 
enemy,  who  is  always  lying  in  wait  to  “deceive, 
if  it  were  possible,  even  the  elect.” 

“ Now,”  thought  the  poor,  vain  girl,  as  she 
turned  herself  round  and  round  before  the  glass, 
striving  to  catch  a glimpse  of  her  drapery  be- 
hind and  the  drooping  feather  of  her  hat,  “ I 
really  am  a lady  at  last ; nobody ’d  ever  take  me 
for  a factory-girl : I ’d  just  like  to  show  Miss 
Etta  Mountjoy  that  I ’m  quite  as  good  as  she  is. 
Anyway,  I won’t  have  anything  to  do  with  those 


SUNDAY  AT  GLENWOOD, 


35 


common  girls  at  Mrs.  Robertson's  when  I go 
home ; ” and  while  she  was  picturing  to  herself 
her  own  scorn  and  the  mortification  of  Tessa 
and  Gretchen,  the  voice  of  Miss  Perry  sounded 
from  below,  and  she  was  obliged  to  join  the 
church  party  down  stairs,  having  quite  forgot- 
ten that  neglected  chapter. 

Katie  Robertson,  too,  dressed  herself  in  her 
new  church  suit  with  real  pleasure.  Her  kind 
uncle  had  seen  to  it  that  his  little  niece,  in  going 
among  richer  and  more  fashionable  girls,  should 
not  be  mortified  by  wearing  old,  faded,  or 
“queer"  apparel.  A nice,  suitable,  and  well- 
made  wardrobe  had  been  provided  for  her,  and, 
although  her  dresses  made  by  her  mother  and 
the  village  dressmaker  lacked  the  indescribable 
something  known  as  style,  she  thought  them  all 
exceedingly  pretty,  especially  the  church  suit  of 
dark-blue  cloth,  with  its  warm,  wadded  jacket, 
which  as  yet  it  was  too  warm  to  wear,  and  the 
dark-blue  felt  hat  ornamented  with  a little  gray 
wing  which  no  damp,  winter  storms  could  uncurl 
or  draggle.  Putting  it  all  on  new  for  the  first 
time,  she  was  conscious  of  a glow  of  thankful- 
ness not  only  to  her  uncle,  but  to  her  heavenly 


36  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD . 

Father,  who  had  put  it  into  his  heart  to  do  so 
much  for  her,  and  had  Himself  given  her  so 
many  things  “richly  to  enjoy.”  When  she  was 
quite  ready,  finding  there  were  still  a few  mo- 
ments to  spare,  she  went  quietly  to  the  other 
side  of  her  own  little  white  bed,  and,  kneeling 
down,  silently  told  her  dear  heavenly  Friend  her 
grateful  thoughts,  asking  Him  at  the  same  time 
to  keep  her  from  thinking  too  much  about  these 
“ earthly  things,”  and  to  make  this  bright  Sun- 
day a very  blessed  and  happy  one  in  His 
service. 

The  church  which  the  boarding  scholars  of 
Glenwood  Institute  attended  was  a very  large 
and  beautiful  one,  and  was  already  filled  with  a 
fashionable  congregation  as  the  girls,  one  at  a 
time,  filed  into  the  row  of  seats  reserved  for 
them  in  the  gallery.  The  organist  was  playing 
a grand  voluntary ; hot-house  flowers  were  taste- 
fully arranged  by  the  pulpit,  and  the  whole 
scene  was  very  beautiful  and  grand.  Katie 
soon  forgot  the  strangeness  and  grandeur,  how- 
ever, when  the  minister,  in  his  clear,  impressive 
voice,  read  the  twenty-third  Psalm,  which  had 
been  familiar  to  her  since  her  infancy,  and 


SUNDA  Y AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


37 


prayed  that  the  Good  Shepherd  would  lead  His 
people  into  the  green  pastures  of  His  love  and 
faithfulness,  and  in  the  paths  of  righteousness 
for  His  name's  sake  ; that  in  all  their  sorrows 
and  difficulties  His  rod  and  His  staff  might 
comfort  them,  and  that,  His  goodness  and  mercy 
having  followed  them  all  the  days  of  their  lives, 
they  might  eventually  “ dwell  in  the  house  of 
the  Lord  forever.” 

Then  followed  music,  more  beautiful  than 
our  two  country  girls  had  ever  dreamed  of,  and 
then  a sermon,  so  simple,  so  earnest,  and  so 
grand,  that,  while  all  the  fashionable  city  peo- 
ple listened  entranced  to  the  eloquence  of  their 
popular  preacher,  the  little,  homesick,  country 
girl  felt  that  he  was  speaking  directly  to  her, 
and  telling  her  to  “fear  no  evil,”  neither  pov- 
erty, nor  loneliness,  nor  sin,  nor  death,  since 
God  was  with  her,  and  would  keep  those  who 
had  committed  themselves  to  Him,  safe  in 
every  danger,  firm  m every  temptation,  making 
them  “ more  than  conquerors  ” in  this  life,  and 
presenting  them  “faultless  before  the  throne 
of  His  glory”  in  that  which  is  to  come. 

“ The  youngest  child  here/'  said  Dr.  Pea- 


3*  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


body,  “ who  can  understand  what  it  is  to  trust 
in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  his  or  her  Saviour 
need  fear  no  evil,  not  even  the  evil  of  sin ; for  if 
we  will  only  do  our  part  by  constantly  praying 
to  Him,  by  studying  His  will  that  we  may  un- 
derstand it  and  do  it,  and  by  trusting  in  His 
strength  to  resist  temptation,  we  may  so  live 
as  to  glorify  Him  day  by  day,  and  know  by  our 
own  blessed  experience  that  He  is  with  us.” 

Even  Bertie  Sanderson,  who  had  devoted  the 
first  part  of  the  sendee  to  admiring  the  beauti- 
ful silks,  laces,  feathers,  and  flowers  in  the  pews 
below,  — an  occupation,  by-the-by,  in  which  she 
was  joined  by  the  majority  of  the  boarders,  — 
was  attracted  by  this  sermon,  and  began  to  say 
to  herself : “ I wish  I was  a more  earnest  Chris- 
tian ; I will  pray  more  ; I mean  to  read  my  chap- 
ter every  day,”  etc.  Have  none  of  our  young 
Christian  readers  ever  made  similar  good  reso- 
lutions under  the  impressions  of  an  earnest 
sermon  ? Have  such  always  been  faithfully 
kept  ? 

The  service  over,  the  girls  all  filed  out  again, 
and  were  soon  seated  in  the  long  dining-hall  at 
their  early  dinner.  That  is,  about  half  of  them, 


SUNDA  Y AT  GLENJVOOD.  39 

for  Sunday  was  the  great  visiting  day  of  the 
Glenwood  boarders.  Many  whose  families  lived 
a few  miles  from  the  city  went  home  regularly 
on  Friday  afternoon  to  stay  until  Monday; 
while  those  who  had  friends  and  acquaintances 
in  the  city  secured  Sunday  invitations  among 
them  as  they  best  could,  often  attending  other 
churches  with  their  friends  and  going  home 
with  them  to  dinner.  So  that,  as  on  this 
occasion,  it  often  happened  that  not  more  than 
twenty  girls  were  scattered  round  the  long 
dining-tables,  and  the  gaps  thus  left  were  very 
conducive  to  home-sickness. 

After  dinner  the  girls  all  retired  to  their 
rooms,  there  being  no  general  sitting-room,  and 
the  Institute  being  fast  closed  on  Sunday. 
Here  Bertie,  from  whom  the  influence  of  the 
sermon  had  not  yet  fully  passed  away,  com- 
menced to  keep  her  resolutions  by  reading  up 
in  Katie’s  Bible  all  the  chapters  which  she 
ought  to  have  read  in  full  course  during  the 
last  two  weeks.  As  she  was  obliged  to  read 
very  fast,  and  could  not  stop  to  think  of  the 
meaning,  she  soon  began  to  tire  of  the  occupa- 
tion, and  more  than  one  yawn  testified  to  Katie, 


40  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENW00D . 

who  was  engaged  upon  a letter  to  her  mother, 
that  to  Bertie  Sanderson  Bible-reading  was  a 
very  dull  thing. 

Katie  had  hesitated  somewhat  as  to  the  pro- 
priety of  letter-writing  upon  Sunday,  but  had 
finally  come  to  the  conclusion  that  as,  were  she 
at  home,  she  would  talk  with  her  mother  about 
all  that  interested  her  upon  this  sacred  day,  it 
could  be  no  harm  to  talk  on  paper  also,  pro- 
vided she  did  not  let  her  letters  interfere  with 
Sunday  duties  or  services,  and  she  was  deep  in 
a description  of  the  morning’s  sermon  when  the 
bell-ringing  announced  that  the  hour  for  the 
Bible  Class  had  arrived,  and  she  quickly  laid 
aside  her  writing  as  Bertie  sprang  from  her  seat 
with  a sensation  of  great  relief,  and  the  two 
room-mates  went  down  the  stairs  together  to 
Miss  Perry’s  room. 

How  is  it  that  some  people  have  the  faculty 
of  making  sacred  things  disagreeable  and  for- 
bidding, while  others  make  them  so  attractive  ? 
There  was  scarcely  a girl  at  Glenwood  who  did 
not  hate  that  Bible  Class.  Even  the  conscien- 
tious Christian  girls  were  glad  of  a good  reason 
for  absence,  while  the  “ shirks  ” invented  all 


SUNDA  y AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


41 


manner  of  excuses  in  the  way  of  headaches, 
colds,  and  home  letters,  and  usually  managed, 
as  shirks  do,  to  carry  their  point  and  spend  the 
dreaded  hour  anywhere  else  but  in  Miss  Perry’s 
study. 

As  Katie  entered  the  room  — which,  by  the 
way,  was  never  otherwise  visited  by  the  girls  ex- 
cept to  receive  the  severe  lectures  which  stood 
them  in  stead  of  condign  punishment,  — she 
saw  two  formidable  rows  of  chairs  which  were 
fast  being  filled  by  unwilling-looking  girls,  each 
carrying  a Bible.  The  room  was  dark  and 
cheerless,  and  Miss  Perry,  who  was  ordinarily 
rather  an  amiable,  good-natured-looking  woman, 
wore  a solemn,  stern  air,  such  as  she  thought 
befitted  a religious  exercise.  Katie  could  not 
help  contrasting  it  with  Miss  Eunice’s  pleasant 
ways,  the  genuine  interest  with  which  she  had 
welcomed  her  tea  party,  and  the  natural,  easy 
manner  in  which  she  had  led  the  conversation 
to  the  most  precious  and  holy  things. 

Miss  Perry  was  the  matron  of  the  boarding- 
house, not  a teacher  in  the  school.  She  had 
taken  the  position  for  money,  renting  the 
boarding-house  from  the  trustees  of  the  Insti- 


43  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD . 

tute  and  making  what  she  could  out  of  the 
boarding  scholars.  To  make  this  as  much  as 
possible  it  was  requisite  to  make  the  house 
popular  and  keep  it  full,  and  one  of  the  steps 
toward  popularity  was  a reputation  for  careful 
guardianship  and  sound  religious  influence. 

To  do  the  matron  justice,  she  was  not  exactly 
a hypocrite.  She  belonged  to  the  church,  or  had 
done  so  years  ago,  and  she  was  quite  competent 
to  read  the  questions  in  the  book,  which,  being 
a consecutive  course  of  Scripture  history,  had 
just  reached  the  middle  of  Chronicles  and  dealt 
with  the  varying  fortunes  of  the  kingdoms  of 
Israel  and  Judah.  She  was  competent  to 
“ mark  ” those  girls  who  had  not  studied  their 
lessons  and  to  reprimand  those  who  persisted  in 
whispering  and  tittering  when  it  was  not  their 
turn  to  answer ; but  she  was  utterly  unqualified 
by  both  inclination  and  preparation  to  make 
any  lesson  interesting,  especially  one  which 
dealt  with  such  bare  historical  outlines.  She 
had,  however,  imbibed  a conventional  idea  that 
she  ought  to  talk  religion  to  the  members  of  her 
class  on  Sunday,  and  as,  to  her,  religion  meant 
“you  shall  and  you  shall  not,”  she  generally 


SUNDAY  AT  GLENWOOD. 


43 


managed  to  weave  into  her  teaching  a stern 
exordium  upon  the  faults  of  her  pupils,  and  the 
things  they  ought  to  do  and  be,  which,  as  it 
was  often  exceedingly  pointed  and  personal, 
made  the  Bible  Class  a still  more  unpopular 
institution,  and  it  is  difficult  to  say  whether 
teacher  or  pupils  were  most  glad  when  the  hour 
came  to  a close. 

After  it  was  over,  the  girls’  time  till  the  tea- 
bell  rang  was  their  own,  and  they  spent  it  in 
walking  up  and  down  the  well-warmed  halls,  or 
conversing  in  groups  on  the  staircase.  Katie 
and  Bertie  were  “ new  girls  ” as  yet  and  had  made 
no  acquaintances ; they  passed  their  arms  round 
each  other’s  waists,  and,  having  nothing  in  par- 
ticular to  talk  about,  followed  the  prevailing 
fashion,  and  walked  silently  up  and  down  till 
the  ringing  of  the  tea-bell  formed  a very  wel- 
come diversion. 

After  tea,  at  which  Miss  Perry  was  all  smiles 
and  kindness,  the  whole  party  went  to  church 
once  more,  and  on  their  return  were  at  once 
hurried  off  to  bed. 

Bertie  Sanderson  knelt  to  say  her  prayers 
that  night,  feeling,  as  she  did  so,  that  she  was 


44  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

getting  to  be  a very  good  girl  ; and  yet,  some- 
how, prayer  did  not  seem  so  sweet  and  real 
a thing  as  it  used  to  do.  She  had  got  out  of  the 
habit,  and  she  did  not  very  much  want  the 
things  she  prayed  for.  Her  thoughts  would 
keep  wandering  to  the  new  and  strange  sur- 
roundings of  her  life,  and  it  was  with  a sensa- 
tion of  very  great  relief  that  she  got  into  bed, 
exclaiming,  — 

“ I ’m  so  glad  Sunday  ’s  over ! It  seemed  as 
though  it  never  would  come  to  an  end.” 


SCHOOL  LIFE . 


45 


CHAPTER  III. 

SCHOOL  LIFE. 

O prettier  sight  could  be  seen  than  the 
assembling  of  Glenwood  Institute  for 
morning  prayers  in  the  beautiful  Goth- 
ic chapel,  larger  and  more  highly  decorated 
than  many  a country  church.  The  eight  hun- 
dred pupils  assembled  in  their  own  several  de- 
partments at  twenty  minutes  to  nine  and 
formed  in  line,  headed  by  the  department 
teachers.  At  exactly  ten  minutes  before  nine, 
the  head  professor  of  music  struck  his  first 
chord  on  the  great  chapel  organ,  which  was 
heard  all  over  the  building,  and  at  the  same 
moment  all  the  files  commenced  to  move. 

A visitor  seated  on  the  platform  facing  the 
doors  would  then  see  all  three  open  simulta- 
neously and  also  those  in  the  gallery.  Into 
these  doors  poured  orderly  rows  of  girls  of  all 
ages,  singing  a “ processional”  hymn,  as  with- 


46  THREE  YEARS  AT  GIENWOOD. 

out  confusion  they  took  their  well-known  seats, 
and  before  the  last  verse  of  the  hymn  ceased, 
the  whole  eight  hundred  were  in  their  places 
quietly  awaiting  the  devotional  exercises  of  the 
morning.  These  consisted  of  the  chanting  of 
the  Lord’s  Prayer  by  the  school,  standing  with 
bowed  heads,  the  reading  of  a brief  portion  of 
Holy  Scripture,  and  the  offering  of  a short, 
extemporaneous  prayer,  which  was  cold  and 
formal,  or  tender,  earnest,  and  simple,  according 
as  the  gentleman  officiating  made  it. 

The  principal,  Dr.  Claverick,  ordinarily  per- 
formed this  part  of  the  service,  but  whenever 
any  gentlemen  visitors  of  distinction,  clergymen 
or  others,  happened  to  be  present,  — as  was 
often  the  case,  — they  took  his  place  and  some- 
times followed  the  exercises  with  profitable  and 
interesting  talks  upon  various  subjects.  When 
no  stranger  was  present  the  school  rose  at  the 
close  of  the  prayer,  and,  chanting  another  hymn 
as  they  passed  out  in  regular  order,  were  in 
their  rooms  and  ready  to  commence  the  day’s 
work  by  a quarter  past  nine.  On  Friday  morn- 
ing the  service  was  a little  longer,  each  depart- 
ment reporting  the  names  of  all  delinquents 


SCHOOL  LIFE . 


47 


during  the  week,  with  the  number  of  absences 
and  times  of  being  late.  As  this  was  the  only 
thing  resembling  punishment  known  in  the 
school,  these  reports  were  listened  to  with  great 
interest,  and  every  one  was  unwilling  to  have 
her  name  on  this  roll  of  demerit,  for  the  other 
members  of  her  department  deeply  visited  upon 
her  their  sense  of  the  common  disgrace. 

This  was  Bertie  Sanderson's  first  day  at 
school,  and  she  looked  with  wide-open  eyes  at 
the  beautiful,  well-appointed  building,  the  dig- 
nified teachers,  and  the  multitudes  of  well 
dressed  girls.  She  had  accompanied  her  room- 
mate to  her  seat  in  the  chapel,  though  the 
teacher  who  had  told  her  to  do  so  said, — 

“You  will  probably  be  placed  higher.  You 
look  much  older  than  your  little  friend." 

Great  was  this  teacher's  surprise,  however, 
when  she  came  to  examine  the  tall,  well-de- 
veloped girl,  to  find  that,  by  placing  her  three 
departments  below  her  “ little  friend,"  she 
would  be  only  able  to  hold  her  own  by  diligent 
study  and  close  application. 

Poor  Bertie,  as  we  know,  had  never  been 
used  to  diligence  or  application,  either  at  school 


48  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

or  in  the  factory,  and,  but  for  Miss  Etta's  un- 
wearied care  at  last  winter's  night-school,  she 
would  have  been  placed  much  lower  than  she 
was.  She  was  very  much  mortified,  and  felt 
something  of  her  old  jealousy  of  Katie  rising  in 
her  heart.  But  yesterday’s  good  influences  were 
still  at  work.  Her  prayer  of  that  morning, 
brief  and  formal  as  it  was,  had  not  been  with- 
out effect  in  bringing  to  her  aid  the  promised 
strength  of  the  blessed  Holy  Spirit,  and  she 
swallowed  down  the  evil  feelings,  and  went 
pleasantly  away  to  her  appointed  place  among 
the  very  little  girls,  resolved  to  do  her  very 
best  and  catch  up  with  Katie  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. 

A brief  recess  occurred  at  noon,  when  the 
day-scholars  ate  the  lunch  they  had  brought,  or 
purchased  a hot  cup  of  beef-tea  and  a roll  for 
five  cents  in  a pleasant  basement  room,  where 
these  substantiate,  with  fruit  and  plain  cakes, 
were  provided  for  them. 

Others  again,  whose  dinners,  like  those  of  the 
boarders,  came  immediately  at  the  close  of 
the  session,  wandered  around  the  halls,  or  in 
the  paths  of  the  beautiful,  well-kept  garden,  no 


SCHOOL  LIFE. 


49 


screaming,  running,  or  noisy  games,  however, 
being  allowed. 

Strangers  amid  this  vast  world  of  girls,  our 
two  country  friends  were  wandering  somewhat 
aimlessly  about,  when  Bertie  exclaimed,  — 

“ Here's  my  cousin  Sophronia!”  pointing  at 
the  same  time  to  a tall,  over-dressed  girl  who 
was  walking  arm-in-arm  with  another  about  the 
same  size,  much  more  plainly  attired,  but  with 
a certain  air  of  refinement  quite  wanting  to  her 
companion.  This  girl  was  named  Helen  Lome. 
She  belonged  to  one  of  the  richest  and  most  aris- 
tocratic families  in  the  city,  and  such  girls  as 
Sophronia  Cleveland  considered  it  a great  honor 
to  be  noticed  by  her.  Helen  would  hardly 
have  selected  Sophronia  for  a companion,  but 
she  was  very  good-natured,  and  when  her 
school-mate  put  her  arm  round  her  waist,  saying, 
“ Let ’s  walk,”  she  did  not  shake  her  off,  but 
submitted  quietly,  and  talked  as  pleasantly  as 
she  might  have  done  to  one  of  her  own  inti- 
mate friends. 

In  such  society  Sophronia  would  have  passed 
her  country  cousin  without  notice,  but  her  com- 
panion had  seen  the  gesture  and  heard  the 


50  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

words  of  the  strange  girl,  and  she  stopped  at 
once  in  front  of  Bertie  and  Katie. 

“ I did  n’t  know  you  had  a cousin  at  school,” 
she  said.  “ How  nice  ! When  did  you  come  ? ” 
she  said  to  Bertie,  with  a schoolgirl’s  indiffer- 
ence to  the  formality  of  an  introduction. 

“ I left  home  on  Wednesday,  and  I came  to 
the  boarding-house  on  Saturday  evening,”  said 
the  girl  addressed,  to  whom  timidity  or  bashful- 
ness was  a thing  unknown. 

“ And  this  ? ” said  Helen,  looking  inquiringly 
at  Katie,  whose  appearance  pleased  her  much 
more  than  that  of  her  bolder  and  more  florid 
companion. 

“ This  is  my  friend  Katie  Robertson.  We  ’re 
from  the  same  place,  and  we  ’re  room- 
mates.” 

“ Then  you  ’re  both  boarding-scholars.  Poor 
girls,  how  I pity  you ! It  must  be  so  horrid  to 
have  no  home  to  go  to  when  school ’s  over. 
Whose  room  are  you  in  ? ” 

Katie  named  the  teacher  of  one  department, 
and  Bertie  that  of  another,  in  the  same  breath, 
and  Helen,  turning  to  Sophronia,  said, — 

“Then  you  and  your  cousin  are  not  together; 


i 


SCHOOL  LIFE.  5 1 

what  a pity ! you  might  help  one  another  so 
much/* 

Sophronia  opened  her  eyes  in  astonishment  at 
the  preposterous  idea  of  Bertie’s  helping  her, 
and  said,  — 

“ Why,  I *m  miles  ahead  of  her  ; she  *s  only  a 
country  girl.”  She  would  have  liked  to  substi- 
tute the  word  factory  for  cotmtry , but  could  not 
without  compromising  her  own  position. 

“Oh,  well,”  said  Helen,  “she’ll  soon  learn, 
and  it ’s  a good  thing  that  you  know  the  school 
so  well,  and  can  help  her  on.  I shall  be  glad  to 
see  more  of  you  and  Miss  Robertson,”  she  said, 
as  she  turned  away  to  join  another  group  of 
girls. 

“ Bertie,”  said  Sophronia,  her  smiling  looks 
all  gone,  “ if  ever  you  let  anybody  here  know 
that  you  worked  in  the  factory  at  Squantown, 
I ’ll  never  forgive  you.” 

“What  difference  does  having  worked  in  a 
factory  make  in  us  ? ” asked  Katie,  in  her 
straightforward  manner. 

“ It  don’t  to  you,”  answered  Sophronia.  “ Your 
mother’s  only  a poor  widow,  and  of  course 
you  ’ve  got  to  work  for  yourself ; but  Bertie ’s 


52  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

our  cousin,  and  she  shan’t  disgrace  us  in 
school.  Nobody  here  knows  even  that  our 
father ’s  a grocer,  and  I don’t  mean  that  they 
shall.” 

The  clock  at  that  moment  pointing  to  twenty 
minutes  past  twelve,  and  the  various  teachers 
appearing  at  the  doors  of  their  several  depart- 
ments as  a signal  for  the  close  of  recess,  — no 
bells  were  allowed  in  the  Institute,  — the  va- 
rious groups  broke  up  and  the  girls  composing 
them  floated  away  to  their  own  rooms. 

“ I thought  you  had  two  cousins,”  said  Katie 
to  her  companion  as  they  separated. 

“ So  I have  ; Lilian ’s  in  your  department,  but 
she  is  n’t  very  well  and  has  n’t  been  to  school  for 
a week.” 

“ Is  n’t  that  girl  with  Sophronia  lovely  ? ” 

“ I did  n’t  think  much  of  her ; her  dress 
wasn’t  half  so  handsome  as  Sophronia’s.” 

There  was  no  more  time  for  words,  and  Katie 
went  her  way,  wondering  how  Bertie  could  prefer 
her  cousin  to  Helen  Lome. 

At  two  o’clock  the  school-session  closed  ; the 
day  scholars  all  went  home,  and  the  boarders 
went  to  their  rooms  to  prepare  for  dinner,  which 


SCHOOL  LIFE. 


53 


was  always  ready  at  half-past  two.  The  after- 
noons were  devoted  to  music  lessons,  practising, 
drawing-lessons,  and  the  like.  When  the  girls 
had  no  such  pressing  duties  they  were  allowed 
to  go  out — under  certain  restrictions  — but 
every  one  had  to  be  in  the  house  by  five  o’clock, 
or  earlier  when  the  days  grew  shorter. 

From  five  to  six  was  the  recreation  hour, 
spent  by  the  girls  in  wandering  round  the  halls  or 
visiting  each  other’s  rooms.  Six  o’clock  was  the 
tea  hour,  immediately  after  which  all  the  pupils 
went  across  the  garden  to  the  Institute,  where 
they  prepared  their  lessons  for  the  next  day, 
under  the  superintendence  of  Miss  Thornton,  in 
the  large  schoolroom.  At  nine  they  went  to  bed. 

Of  course,  there  is  always  great  sameness  in 
boarding-school  life.  The  same  things  are  done 
at  the  same  hours ; the  minutes  are  carefully 
counted  out  and  filled  with  regular  duties  and 
engagements,  and  to  children  used  to  the  free- 
dom and  excitements  of  home,  the  monotony 
• would  be  extremely  irksome,  and  conducive 
to  that  dreaded  enemy,  homesickness,  except 
that  the  constant  occupation  fills  up  all  their 
thoughts. 


54  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

But  to  Bertie  and  Katie,  used  to  the  long 
hours  and  steady  monotony  of  the  mill,  the 
school  routine  seemed  one  of  infinite  variety, 
and  the  hours  of  leisure  more  and  greater  than 
they  had  known  for  a long  time.  Bertie  was 
glad  to  idle,  but  Katie’s  ambition  urged  her  to 
use  the  hours  in  extra  study  with  the  purpose  of 
keeping  abreast  of  her  class,  where  she  was  at 
first,  to  some  degree,  at  a disadvantage,  the 
methods  of  study  being  so  different  in  her  own 
home  and  in  a great  city  school.  She  availed 
herself  of  every  spare  moment,  and  soon  not 
only  stood  as  well  as  any  of  her  classmates,  but 
was  prepared  to  pass  the  examination,  which 
occurred  at  the  close  of  every  three  months,  and 
be  at  once  promoted  to  the  next  higher  depart- 
ment. 

Bertie,  too,  was  for  a time  spurred  on,  partly 
by  her  friend’s  example,  which,  ever  since  her 
illness,  had  had  great  weight  with  her,  and 
partly  by  her  mortification  at  being  rated  so 
much  below  her  cousins  and  her  friend ; and 
she  really  acquitted  herself  very  creditably,  win- 
ning her  promotion,  also,  at  the  end  of  the  first 
quarter.  But  here  her  fit  of  assiduity  came  to 


SCHOOL  LIFE. 


ss 


an  end  for  the  present.  She  was  tired  of  the 
continued  strain ; she  had  accomplished  the 
object  for  which  she  had  been  striving,  and  a 
reactionary  feeling  made  the  thought  of  a little 
idleness  pleasant. 

Moreover,  Bertie  had  by  this  time  made  a 
good  many  acquaintances,  and  become  quite 
popular  among  a certain  set,  which  always 
exists  in  large  schools,  — girls  who,  without 
being  exactly  vicious,  think  it  is  “ fun  ” to 
waste  time,  break  rules,  and  annoy  teachers; 
girls,  moreover,  who  are  always  ready  for  what- 
ever may  turn  up  in  the  way  of  a “ lark,”  and 
are  easily  led  astray  into  wrong-doing  when  it 
comes  in  connection  with  amusement. 

Sophronia  Cleveland  belonged  to  this  set, 
though  she  would  not  have  liked  to  have  Helen 
Lome  know  it ; and  so  did  a good  many  of  the 
city  girls,  with  perhaps  a dozen  of  the  boarders. 
These  latter  found  in  it  a medium  of  communi- 
cation with  the  outside  world,  from  which  their 
position  debarred  them.  A certain  Amelia  Bas- 
com,  who  was  one  of  these,  soon  completely 
fascinated  Bertie,  whose  spare  time  out  of 
school-hours  was  chiefly  absorbed  in  whispered 


56  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

colloquies  with  her  new  friend,  who,  for  reasons 
of  her  own,  made  herself  exceedingly  fasci- 
nating. 

The  “rules”  at  Glenwood  were  not  very 
strict.  Girls  old  enough  to  attend  an  advanced 
institution  of  this  sort  were  supposed  to  be  old 
enough  to  take  care  of  themselves,  and  to  have 
received  sufficient  home-training  to  comport 
themselves  like  ladies  wherever  they  might 
happen  to  be  placed.  Hence,  within  certain 
limits,  they  were  allowed  complete  liberty  to 
come  and  go  as  they  pleased.  But,  as  we  have 
seen,  there  were  limits.  No  one  might  go  out 
walking,  shopping,  or  visiting  when  such  excur- 
sions interfered  with  school  duties  ; no  one  might 
be  out  after  dark,  and  no  one  was  ever  allowed 
to  go  out  alone  who  had  once  forfeited  her  free- 
dom by  unlady-like  actions  in  public.  This 
latter  was  Amelia's  case,  and  though  the  details 
were  not  known,  it  was  rumored  that  she  had 
done  something  dreadful  during  the  last  term, 
for  which  reason  she  could  now  only  go  outside 
the  Institute  precincts  with  a teacher  or  a friend 
indorsed  by  her  parents. 

Amelia,  however,  who  was  a handsome,  well- 


SCHOOL  LIFE. 


5 7 


grown  girl  of  sixteen,  greatly  resented  this 
treatment,  which  she  said  was  just  like  making 
a baby  of  her,  and  took  all  the  pains  she  could 
to  circumvent  it  by  coaxing  her  friends  to  call  for 
her  as  often  as  she  could,  and  by  employing 
her  companions  constantly  to  purchase  for  her 
finery  and  confectionery,  for  which  she  always 
gave  ample  commissions.  Of  course,  it  is  a 
foregone  conclusion  that  Amelia  was  one  of  the 
party  a plank  in  whose  platform  it  was  to  annoy 
the  teachers.  She  had  heretofore  found  her 
agents  and  emissaries  among  the  day  scholars  ; 
but  it  was  more  convenient,  for  many  reasons, 
to  have  a boarder  at  her  beck  and  call,  and  at 
first,  by  being  very  coaxing  and  flattering,  after- 
wards by  becoming  possessed  of  a certain  secret 
which  she  often  threatened  to  reveal,  she  gained 
such  an  influence  over  the  weak,  undisciplined 
Bertie  Sanderson,  that  the  latter  became  her 
complete  slave. 

At  “ recess  ” the  set  were  apt  to  congregate 
in  one  corner  of  the  garden,  planning  the  petty 
mischief  by  which  the  discipline  and  order  of 
the  schoolroom  might  be  upset  — talking,  it  may 
be,  of  the  parties  and  entertainments  which 


5«  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

many  of  the  out-door  girls  were,  by  their  inju* 
dicious  parents,  allowed  to  attend ; rendering 
an  account  of  the  commissions  with  which  they 
had  been  entrusted,  and  accompanying  the 
whole  with  a great  deal  of  laughter  and  merri- 
ment. 

Katie  Robertson  came  upon  this  merry  group 
one  day,  as  she  was  wandering  about  rather 
forlornly,  and,  seeing  her  room-mate,  at  once 
joined  her.  But  the  merriment  immediately 
ceased ; cold  looks  were  turned  upon  the  new- 
comer ; and  very  soon  the  gay  group  melted 
away,  leaving  only  Sophronia,  Bertie,  and  Katie. 
The  latter,  seeing  that  she  was  evidently  not 
wanted,  moved  away  also,  with  a pain  in  her 
heart  at  the  unkindness  of  the  friend  through 
whom  she  had  suffered  so  much  and  whom  she 
had  so  freely  forgiven. 

“ Why  should  n't  the  girls  like  Katie  ? ” said 
Bertie  to  her  cousin  when  they  were  left  alone. 
“ Everybody  thought  her  an  angel  at  Squan- 
town.” 

“Oh  well,  girls,  as  a rule,  don't  care  about 
angels  for  companions.  They  like  somebody 
with  some  spirit  — a ‘spice  of  the  devil' — as 


SCHOOL  LIFE. 


59 


Augusta’s  lover  says.  Katie ’s  so  * goody,’  but- 
ter would  n’t  melt  in  her  mouth.  She  could  n’t 
understand  a joke  if  it  was  explained  to  her, 
and  as  soon  as  she  got  a chance  she’d  be 
preaching  us  a sermon.  We  don’t  want  religion 
at  recess.” 

“ Why,  Soph,  I thought  you  were  a Christian ! 
didn’t  you  join  the  church  that  time  you  said 
you  were  going  to,  after  I ’d  made  you  that  long 
visit  ?” 

“ Of  course  I did,  — Augusta  too,  — but  that ’s 
no  reason  we  should  turn  into  old  women  or 
priests.  And  look  here,  Bertie,  take  care  how 
you  seem  to  be  very  intimate  with  Katie  Rob- 
ertson. She ’s  so  straightforward  she  will  tell 
some  day  that  she’s  been  a factory  girl,  and 
then  it  ’ll  come  out  that  you  were  one,  too,  and 
I ’ll  never  notice  you  if  it  does.  I would  n’t  have 
Helen  Lome  know  it  for  the  whole  world.” 

Bertie  blushed,  but  she  did  not  tell  her  cousin 
that  she  feared  the  damaging  fact  was  known 
already,  and  that  this  fear  was  one  cause  of 
Amelia  Bascom’s  strong  influence  over  her,  and 
she  was  glad  for  once  when  the  signal  was 
naade  for  the  close  of  recess. 


6o  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


Somewhere  in  the  early  part  of  Bertie's  inti* 
macy  with  her  tyrannical  companion,  the  latter 
had  said  : 

“ I do  pity  you  for  your  room-mate.  It  seems 
a pity  that  you  could  n’t  have  been  with  a lady.” 

“ Why,  Katie ’s  more  lady-like  than  I am.  Miss 
Eunice  and  Miss  Etta  always  thought  so,  I’m 
sure.” 

“ Who  are  Miss  Eunice  and  Miss  Etta  ? 99 

“ The  daughters  of  Mr.  Mountjoy,  the  manu- 
facturer at  Squantown.” 

“ The  factory  Miss  Robertson  worked  in  ? ” 
with  a satirical  accent  upon  the  Miss . 

“ Why,  how  did  you  know?”  said  Bertie,  very 
much  surprised,  while  a glow  of  false  shame 
spread  over  her  face  and  neck. 

“ Never  mind  ; there  are  plenty  of  little  birds 
to  carry  secrets  in  a school  like  this.”  Amelia 
did  not  mention  the  fact  of  her  having  stood 
close  to  Bertie,  her  cousin,  and  Katie,  when 
Sophronia  had  uttered  her  first  threat,  and  Katie 
had  asked  what  difference  working  in  a factory 
made  in  herself  and  her  room-mate.  “I  have  a 
good  many  little  birds  in  my  employ  ; one  of 
them  told  me  that  Bertie  Sanderson  was  a mill- 


SCHOOL  LIFE . 6t 

girl,  too,  but  of  course  he  made  a mistake.  I did 
not  believe  his  nonsense.” 

“Of  course ,”  said  Bertie,  laughing  uneasily, 
“ Katie’s  mother ’s  a widow  and  very  poor,  but 
my  father  ’s  the  overseer,  and  we  ’re  as  good  as 
the  Mountjoys,” 

“ Of  course,  dear,”  with  a delicate  little 
caress.  “ I don’t  know  who  the  Mountjoys  are, 
but  I ’ve  no  doubt  you  ’re  a great  deal  better. 
So  I am  to  tell  my  bird,  am  I,  that  Bertie  San- 
derson never  did  work  in  the  mill  ? ” and,  fixing 
her  keen  eyes  upon  her  companion,  she  waited 
resolutely  for  an  answer. 

It  was  a long  time  in  coming.  Bertie  was 
not  the  girl  she  had  once  been.  Her  moral 
nature  had  been  awakened,  her  conscience  had 
been  aroused.  She  had  seen  the  sinfulness  of 
her  own  heart,  and  sought  and  obtained  forgive- 
ness from  the  Saviour  against  whom  she  had 
sinned ; she  had  professed  herself  His  disciple ; 
she  meant,  in  the  main,  to  please  Him;  she 
did  not  want  to  tell  a lie,  but  she  was  under 
very  strong  temptation  to  do  so ; she  had  already 
committed  herself  by  saying  “of  course she 
remembered  her  cousin’s  threats ; she  even 


62  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

thought  how  unkind  it  would  be  in  her  to  dis> 
grace  Sophronia  among  her  school-mates,  and 
at  length  she  said,  — 

“ Yes,  you  may  tell  your  bird  that ; I never 
did.” 

Poor  girl ! she  had  hardly  got  the  words  out 
of  her  mouth  when  she  would  have  given  every- 
thing in  her  possession  to  recall  them,  and  her 
painful  confusion  plainly  told  her  watchful  com- 
panion that  what  she  said  was  not  true.  The 
latter,  however,  only  said,  — 

“ I knew  the  birdie  must  be  wrong ; ” but 
Bertie  knew  very  well  that  Amelia  knew  just 
how  the  matter  stood,  lie  and  all,  and  from  that 
moment  she  was  in  the  power  of  one  who  knew 
well  how  to  make  the  most  of  her  ascendancy. 


BOARDING-SCHOOL  FUN 


63 


CHAPTER  IV. 

BOARDING-SCHOOL  FUN. 

HE  weeks  and  months  at  Glenwood 
passed  rapidly  away,  full  of  duties, 
pleasant  to  the  girls,  or  otherwise,  ac- 
cording to  their  tastes.  The  Christmas  holi- 
days had  come  and  gone,  January  was  well 
advanced,  and  another  quarter  was  rapidly  draw- 
ing to  a close.  Promotions  were  not  usually 
made  oftener  than  every  half  year.  Indeed  the 
majority  of  scholars  remained  in  one  depart- 
ment for  a year  or  even  more. 

The  written  examinations  on  which  promo- 
tion alone  depended  were  strict  and  impartial, 
and  few  girls  of  ordinary  intelligence  and  assi- 
duity could  pass  them  the  first  time.  Never- 
theless, the  course  of  study  was  so  well  ar- 
ranged that  the  portion  assigned  to  each  depart- 
ment could  be  passed  over  in  three  months, 
thus  affording  ambitious  and  conscientious  stu- 


64  THREE  FEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

dents  an  opportunity  of  going  through  the 
school  with  great  rapidity.  It  is  needless  to 
say  that  our  Katie  was  one  of  this  class  ; she 
studied  every  lesson  in  its  course  thoroughly, 
mastering  every  point  at  the  time,  and  leaving 
no  arrears  to  be  made  up  at  review  time.  She 
considered  that  her  one  business  at  school  was 
to  secure  the  education  for  which  she  went 
there,  and  which  was  to  be  so  much  capital  in 
her  after-struggle  for  independence.  Conse- 
quently she  had  very  little  time  for  the  gossip 
and  “ carrying-on,”  which  fritter  away  so  much 
of  a school-girl’s  life,  very  little  even  for  the 
secular  part  of  her  weekly  home  letters,  which 
she  did  not  write  on  Sunday  afternoons.  She 
remained  at  school  during  the  Christmas  holi- 
days, the  distance  to  Squantown  being  too  great 
and  the  journey  too  expensive  to  make  it  worth 
while  for  her  to  go  home.  And  these  ten  pre- 
cious days  were  invaluable  to  her  in  going  over 
the  ground  she  had  already  travelled  again  and 
again,  and  forecasting  that  which  was  to  come. 
She  also  found  plenty  of  time  for  extra  practis- 
ing hours,  and  for  her  French  and  drawing, 
which,  as  they  did  n ’t  influence  the  promotions. 


BOARDING-SCHOOL  FUN  65 

the  Glenwood  girls  were  apt  to  consider  and 
neglect  as  of  secondary  importance. 

She  was  therefore  quite  ready  for  the  next 
examination,  and  reasonably  sure  of  a promotion, 
which  would  bring  her  within  one  class  of 
Sophronia  and  Helen  Lome. 

But  the  young  girl  was  beginning  to  feel  the 
strain  of  such  constant  and  steady  application. 
She  never  went  out  except  for  the  stated  and 
hated  daily  promenades  of  the  boarders  and  on 
Sunday  to  church.  She  was  so  tired  every  night 
that  her  eyes  would  close  of  themselves  over 
the  sacred  Bible  words,  which  she  would  not  for 
the  world  have  omitted  to  read,  and  so  tired  in 
the  morning  that  only  a mighty  effort  of  prin- 
ciple and  will  enabled  her  to  answer  the  rising- 
bell  and  enter  upon  the  duties  of  another  day. 
The  close  confinement  told  upon  the  country 
girl,  used  to  fresh  breezes  and  mountain  air  ; 
her  cheeks  lost  their  delicate  color,  dark  rings 
came  under  her  eyes,  and  her  step  had  a slow 
languor  that  would  have  greatly  alarmed  her 
mother  could  she  have  seen  it.  One  or  two 
of  the  teachers,  when  they  could  notice  anything 
else  in  the  rush  and  hurry  of  their  overwhelm- 


66  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

ing  duties,  noted  these  symptoms  and  asked 
Katie  if  she  was  sick,  but  she  always  said  No. 
It  was  such  a comfort  to  have  to  do  with  a 
scholar  who  did  not  need  driving  that  the  over- 
worked teachers  forbore  to  rebuke  the  girl’s 
ambition,  and  she  worked  resolutely  on. 

“ How  do  you  manage  always  to  get  good 
marks,”  said  Bertie  one  day,  looking  over  Katie’s 
diary ; “ ten,  ten,  ten  ; there ’s  never  anything 
else  ; how  do  you  manage  it  ? ” 

“ By  always  knowing  my  lessons,  I suppose.” 
“ But  how  can  you  always  know  them  ? Some- 
times I can’t  study  at  all,  and  when  I do,  and 
think  I know  them  best,  they  slip  out  of  my 
head,  or  else  the  question  that  comes  to  me  is 
just  the  one  that  I don’t  know  anything  about.” 
“ Do  you  ever  ask  God  to  help  you  study  your 
lessons  ? ” said  Katie  gravely. 

“ Pray  about  lessons ! ” said  Bertie,  opening 
her  eyes  very  widely,  as  if  the  idea  was  too  pre- 
posterous to  take  in.  “ Why,  Katie,  how 
strangely  you  talk.  Who  ever  heard  of  such  a 
thing  ? ” 

“I  always  ask  the  Lord  Jesus  to  help  me,” 
said  Katie  simply ; “ and  I think  He  does.  He 


BOARDING-SCHOOL  FUN.  67 

would  help  you,  too,  if  you  asked  Him,  I am 
sure.” 

“But  it  seems  so  awful,  almost  wicked,  to 
pray  about  such  a little  thing.” 

“ There  is  a verse  here,  Bertie,  which  says,  ‘ In 
everything,  by  prayer  and  supplication,  let  your 
requests  be  made  known  unto  God ; ' I think 
‘ everything  ’ must  mean  lessons,  too.” 

Bertie  did  not  say  any  more  just  then,  but  sat 
drumming  on  the  window  and  looking  out  into 
the  street.  It  was  the  recreation  hour,  but  late 
in  January  it  was  still  quite  light,  and  Katie  was 
using  up  the  moments  in  finishing  her  next 
week’s  composition.  After  an  interval  her 
room-mate  spoke  again : 

“ Katie,  I wish  I was  as  good  a girl  as  you 
are ; but  I am  not,  and  I don’t  believe  I ever 
shall  be.  It  don’t  seem  any  use  to  try.” 

Katie  Robertson  was  not  above  temptation ; 
no  Christian,  old  or  young,  is.  The  tempter  is 
very  subtle ; he  knows  how  to  adapt  himself  to 
the  peculiarities  of  every  soul,  and  if  our  blessed 
Lord  himself  did  not  escape  his  suggestions  of 
evil,  we  may  be  sure  that  we  shall  not  do  so. 
It  was  a long  time  since  the  evil  one  had  found 


68  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

any  ground  on  which  to  approach  our  little 
friend.  The  more  open  ways  in  which  he  could 
reach  Bertie  Sanderson  were  quite  closed  by 
Katie's  years  of  trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus.  But 
there  was  one  point  where  the  enemy  could 
touch  even  her,  and  he  was  not  slow  to  avail 
himself  of  his  opportunity.  Katie  did  dearly  love 
to  be  called  a good  girl,  and  she  had  been  called 
one  so  long  that  she  quite  believed  she  was  one, 
forgetting  that  we  are  all  sinners  except  just  so 
far  as  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ena- 
bles us  to  resist  evil  and  do  right,  and  that  it  is 
only  to  those  who  are  like  Him,  “ meek  and 
lowly  in  heart,"  feeling  their  own  weakness, 
that  He  vouchsafes  to  give  this  grace. 

There  had  been  a great  deal  in  hte  life  at 
Glenwood  to  make  Katie  feel  herself  a very 
good  girl  indeed.  Her  steady  application  to 
her  lessons,  her  uniformly  good  marks,  her 
rapid  promotion,  the  unqualified  approbation  of 
her  teachers,  and  her  reputation  as  the  best 
scholar  in  her  class,  all  tended  to  inflame  her 
vanity.  Even  her  ambition,  which  caused  her 
to  deny  herself  necessary  rest  and  recreation, 
and  the  steadiness  with  which  she  continued  to 


BOARDING-SCHOOL  FUN.  69 

attend  to  her  religious  duties  in  the  midst  of 
the  feverish  hurry  of  her  school-life,  seemed  to 
make  her,  in  her  own  estimation,  a very  re- 
markably good  girl ; and  with  a little  compla- 
cent smile  and  an  accent  of  decided  superiority, 
she  said,  — 

“ Why  are  you  not  as  good  as  I am  ? I am 
sure  you’ve  only  to  try.” 

“ But  I have  tried  over  and  over  again.  Every 
Sunday,  almost,  I used  to  resolve  that  I would 
be  better  next  week ; but  I never  was,  and  I ’ve 
given  up  trying  now.” 

“ You  don’t  pray  enough,”  said  Katie,  senten- 
tiously,  remembering  how  seldom  her  companion 
now  knelt  in  evening  or  morning  prayer,  and 
how  much  more  seldom  she  borrowed  her 
friend’s  Bible. 

“ Katie,”  said  Bertie,  who  was  in  one  of  her 
occasional  conscientious  fits,  when  the  memory 
of  what  she  had  openly  professed  and  the  long- 
ings to  be  what  she  was  called  were  at  work 
within  her,  “ do  you  think  any  one  can  pray  with 
a sin  — a great  sin  — upon  her  conscience  ? ” 

“ Of  course  not.  Have  you  committed  such 
a sin  ? What  is  it  ? ” 


70  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

“ A lie,”  said  Bertie,  “ a great  lie.  I can't 
tell  you  about  it ; but  I 'm  so  unhappy.” 

“ Why,  Bertie  ! ” said  her  shocked  companion, 
“ and  you  a member  of  the  church,  too ! I 
should  think  you  would  be  unhappy.  You  de- 
serve to  be.” 

At  that  moment  the  tea-bell  rang,  and  no 
more  could  be  said.  Bertie’s  good  impulses 
were  checked  by  her  companion’s  censorious 
tone,  and  Katie  felt  a little  condemned,  though 
she  hardly  saw  how  her  self-righteous  feelings 
had  prevented  her  seizing  the  opportunity 
offered  her  of  speaking  a loving  word  for  the 
Saviour,  who  is  always  ready  to  receive  and 
welcome  back  His  repentant  children  when  they 
have  wandered  away  from  Him. 

But  Bertie  did  not  often  favor  her  room-mate 
with  her  companionship  or  her  confidence.  She 
was  becoming  more  and  more  closely  bound  to 
Amelia  and  her  set,  who  managed  to  occupy 
almost  all  her  leisure  time.  She  walked  with 
the  former  in  her  daily  promenade,  went  on 
errands  for  her  in  the  afternoons  and  on  Satur- 
days, and  held  mysterious  conferences  with  her 
at  odd  moments  in  corners  and  on  the  stairs. 


BOARDING-SCHOOL  FUN. 


7f 


After  the  first  few  weeks  she  had  told  her  aunt 
that  boarding-school  Sundays  were  unendura- 
ble, and  begged  permission  to  spend  them  with 
her  cousins,  and  now  she  generally  went  to 
them  after  church,  remaining  all  day,  and  being 
brought  home  late  in  the  evening  by  her  uncle 
or  Mr.  Peake,  the  gentleman  to  whom  her  eldest 
cousin  was  engaged  to  be  married. 

Of  course,  Katie  felt  her  friend’s  defection 
very  much.  Somehow  Katie  was  not  very  pop- 
ular among  the  girls  at  school,  and  did  not  make 
intimate  friends  among  the  boarders.  It  is  very 
rare  that  the  same  girl  is  popular  with  both 
teachers  and  scholars.  School-girls,  like  other 
mortals,  are  jealous,  and  when  a companion 
invariably  has  perfect  recitations,  and  is  uni- 
formly praised  for  them,  the  contrast  is  one 
which  they  are  very  likely  to  resent.  Moreover, 
in  order  to  be  “perfect  in  deportment,”  it  was 
necessary  to  keep  rules  and  to  decline  participa- 
tion in  the  petty  mischief  which  is  always  brew- 
ing in  a schoolroom  where  the  scarcely  repressed 
spirits  of  forty  or  fifty  girls  are  continually  brim- 
ming over.  When  it  is  remembered,  also,  that 
Katie  Robertson  made  use  of  every  odd  moment 


72  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD . 


for  study,  our  school-girl  readers  will  see  that 
she  was  not  likely  to  be  considered  “ splendid  ” 
by  the  majority  of  her  companions. 

But  why  she  was  not  more  of  a favorite  with 
the  boarders  often  puzzled  her,  recalling  the  old 
times  when  she  was  so  conscious  of  the  general 
avoidance  of  the  factory  girls  without  being 
able  to  understand  the  reason.  She  had  tried 
to  make  acquaintance  with  several ; but,  though 
the  girls  were  never  rude,  they  never  went  any 
farther,  never  came  into  her  room  for  a talk, 
never  sought  to  be  her  companion  in  the  pro- 
menade, etc.,  and  very  often,  when  a group 
were  conversing  together,  if  Katie  was  seen 
approaching,  an  embarrassed  silence  would  sud- 
denly fall  upon  the  chatterers,  and  one  after 
another  would  silently  saunter  away.  It  was 
some  time  before  the  lonely  girl  realized  the 
state  of  things,  and  then  she  puzzled  vainly  as 
to  its  cause.  But  she  could  think  of  nothing. 
Indeed,  she  knew  that  she  had  tried  to  be  kind 
to  the  girls,  often  during  the  study  hour  lending 
them  books  and  pencils,  helping  them  look  out 
words  in  the  dictionary,  struggling  with  the  dif- 
ficulties of  refractory  “ examples/'  and  the  like. 


BOARDING-SCHOOL  FUN. 


73 


Katie  felt  the  case  to  be  a hard  one,  but  there 
was  no  help  for  it.  The  general  avoidance  was 
not  marked  enough  to  call  out  the  censure  of 
the  teachers,  even  if  she  had  been  “ mean  ” 
enough  to  complain,  and  all  she  could  do  was, 
as  in  the  old  time,  to  “ commit  her  way  unto 
the  Lord,”  and  quietly  submit  to  walk  with  the 
youngest  or  most  disagreeable  girls,  whose  com- 
panionship no  one  else  wanted  on  the  daily 
promenade  and  to  church,  and  to  devote  the 
lonely  recreation  hours  to  still  more  assiduous 
study.  It  was  but  natural,  however,  that  she 
should  feel  somewhat  embittered,  and  that  she 
should  dwell  more  and  more  upon  her  own 
superiority  to  these  “ selfish  ” girls. 

“You’ve  dropped  your  handkerchief,  Amelia,” 
said  Bertie,  as  the  two  marched  together  in  the 
hated  morning  procession. 

Amelia  caught  it  up  with  a blush,  but  in  a 
few  moments  dropped  it  again,  and  this  time  it 
was  returned  to  her  by  a flashily-dressed  young 
fellow  who  happened  to  be  leaning  against  the 
street  lamp  by  which  they  were  passing.  Its 
owner  received  it  with  a blush  and  a smile,  but 
instantly  looked  the  other  way  with  an  expres- 


74  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

sion  of  bland  unconsciousness  as  Miss  Thornton, 
who  was  at  the  head  of  the  line,  chanced  to  look 
around. 

The  next  day  the  handkerchief  was  dropped 
again  at  the  same  place,  and  the  same  young 
man  picked  it  up,  but,  instead  of  returning  it, 
held  it  to  his  lips  with  a ridiculous  air  of  gallant- 
ry, and  put  it  into  his  pocket.  Amelia  turned 
scarlet  with  delight,  but  at  the  same  time 
looked  furtively  round  to  see  if  any  one  else  had 
noticed  the  action.  Being  apparently  convinced 
that  Bertie  was  the  only  spectator,  she  produced 
another  handkerchief  with  a knot  tied  in  the 
end,  waved  it  about,  and  then  put  it  into  her 
own  pocket,  the  young  man  giving  a nod  of 
comprehension  and  walking  rapidly  away. 

“ Bertie,”  said  Amelia,  that  afternoon,  “ I 
want  you  to  do  an  errand  for  me  this  afternoon. 
You  will,  I’m  sure, — you’re  so  obliging.” 

“ I ’ve  got  my  composition  to  write,”  said 
Bertie  hesitating.” 

“ Bother  your  composition ! You  can  write 
that  any  time,  and  I very  particularly  want  you 
to  do  something  for  me  to-day.” 

“I  hope  it  isn’t  to  get  another  ‘Seaside.’  I 


BOARDING-SCHOOL  FUN 


75 


almost  got  caught  last  time.”  Novels  of  any 
kind,  be  it  understood,  were  among  the  things 
forbidden  to  the  boarders,  the  consequence  of 
such  prohibition  being  that  the  day  scholars  of 
a certain  “ set  ” were  often  employed  to  procure 
and  bring  them  surreptitiously  to  school,  where 
they  were  devoured  in  those  intervals  known  as 
“study  hours.” 

“I  don’t  believe  you  love  me,  Bertie.  I 
would  n’t  refuse  to  do  a little  favor  for  a friend, 
when  I knew  she  was  a prisoner  and  could  n’t 
do  it  herself.  It  isn’t  to  get  a book  either. 
Never  mind,  I ’ll  find  somebody.  I might  have 
asked  Sophronia  at  recess,  only  I was  sure  of 
you.  Don’t  trouble  yourself.  I wonder,  when 
I come  to  think  of  it,  that  I should  care  to  make 
friends  with  the  companion  of  a factory-girl. 
Who  knows  — ” 

“ What  ? ” said  Bertie  as  the  other  made  a 
long  and  significant  pause. 

“ Oh,  nothing,  only,  — ” 

“ What  do  you  want  me  to  do  ? ” 

“ Nothing,  except  to  carry  this  little  note  to 

the  corner  of  C Street,  and  if  you  should 

happen  to  see  that  young  man  who  picked  up  my 


76  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

handkerchief  give  it  to  him.  There  's  no  trea- 
son in  it.  Here,  I 'll  show  it  to  you,”  and  she 
took  the  tiny  sheet  of  note-paper  out  of  the  en- 
velope, and  showed  her  companion  that  it  con- 
tained only  these  words,  — 

“Don’t  do  that  again;  it’s  dangerous.  Invent  some 
other  way.  A.” 

“Do  you  know  that  young  man  ? ” said  Bertie 
in  astonishment. 

“ Never  saw  him  in  my  life  till  yesterday.” 

“ How  rude  he  was  to  steal  your  handker- 
chief ! ” 

“Nonsense,  child!  that  wasn't  stealing.  It's 
the  handkerchief  game.  You  're  an  ignorant 
little  — country  girl.”  There  was  a long  pause 
before,  and  a peculiar  accent  on  the  word  coun- 
try, as  though  the  speaker  might  have  substi- 
tuted some  other,  which  again  frightened  Bertie 
into  submission,  as  she  hurried  to  put  on  her 
wraps,  and,  taking  the  note,  made  the  best  of 
her  way  to  C Street. 

The  messenger  had  not  long  to  wait.  Several 
boys,  who  no  doubt  preferred  to  consider  them- 
selves young  men,  were  lounging  up  and  down 


BOARDING-SCHOOL  FUN. 


77 


the  sidewalk,  and  to  one  of  them  she  at  once 
presented  the  note. 

“Hulloa!”  said  he,  opening  it.  “ Here ’s  a 
lark!  Who's  A.,  I wonder?  Oh,  I know!  the 
damsel  of  the  handkerchief,  no  doubt.  I thought 
she  was  a case  when  I looked  at  her.  Your 
friend  ? " said  he,  looking  at  Bertie. 

“Yes,  sir,"  said  the  messenger,  to  whose 
young  country  eyes  he  looked  very  grand  and 
grown-up,  indeed. 

“ Then  you  tell  her  that  I won't  do  that 
again ; but  I ’ll  be  on  the  sidewalk  in  front  of 
the  Institute,  not  the  boarding-house,  at  a quar- 
ter before  nine,  just  when  all  the  outside  girls 
are  coming  in." 

Bertie  departed  with  her  message,  quite  over- 
awed by  the  grown-up  air,  the  dude  collar,  and 
kid  gloves,  and  too  inexperienced  to  know  that 
they  belonged  to  a young,  silly,  and  rather 
common  boy. 

“ All  right,"  said  Amelia,  her  eyes  sparkling 
with  delight,  as  her  friend  delivered  her  mes- 
sage. “Now  we'll  see  sport." 

“ I don't  see  the  fun.  Why  should  you  want 
to  see  anybody  you  don’t  know  ? " 


7 8 THREE  YEARS  AT  G LEAWOOD. 


“Mercy!  you  don’t  know  anything  about 
boarding-school  life.  I shouldn’t  want  to  if  I 
was  at  home,  where  I can  do  just  as  I please ; 
but  it ’s  such  fun  to  break  laws  and  circumvent 
teachers.  Mean  old  things ! What  business 
have  they  to  make  a prisoner  of  me  ? I ’ll  show 
them  they  can’t  do  it,  anyhow.” 

“Suppose  you  should  get  caught?”  suggested 
her  companion. 

“ I ’ll  risk  that.  They  can’t  kill  me ; it 
would  n’t  look  well  for  the  Institute.  But  look 
here,  Bertie,  if  you  ever  tell  a living  soul  about 
this  thing  I ’ll  make  it  too  hot  for  you  to  stay 
here.  You  know  what  I ’ll  do  ? ” 

“ What  ? ” said  the  other,  for  a moment  off  her 
guard. 

“Tell  everybody  that  you’re  not  only  a 

but  also  a •.  Do  you  want  me  to  say  the 

words  ? ” 

“No,  no,”  said  Bertie,  in  great  alarm.  “You 
can  depend  upon  me  ; I ’ll  never  tell,  never.” 

“I  knew  you  would  n’t.  You ’re  a real,  good 
girl,  and  I love  you  ever  so  much.  Watch  now, 
and  you  ’ll  see  fun.” 

Bertie  did  watch  and  at  a quarter  before  nine 


BOA  RDING-SCHOOL  FUN. 


79 


the  next  morning  saw  Amelia  Bascom,  with  her 
hat  on,  go  out  of  the  Institute  door  and  mingle 
with  the  crowds  of  girls  hurrying  along  in  time 
to  avoid  being  marked  tardy.  She  also  saw  the 
same  young  man  to  whom  she  had  given  the 
note,  walk  rapidly  by,  and,  looking  the  other 
way,  run  against  a group  of  girls  as  if  by  acci- 
dent. Then  he  turned,  bowed,  and  apologized 
to  one  of  them,  who  happened  to  be  Amelia, 
managing  at  the  same  time  to  slip  a thick  white 
envelope  into  her  hand,  and  passed  on  as  though 
the  whole  incident  had  been  an  accidental  one. 
Amelia  hurried  to  her  department,  which  was 
above  Bertie's,  and,  seizing  the  first  study  hour, 
opened  the  envelope,  and  under  cover  of  her 
desk-lid  read  page  after  page  of  sentimental 
nonsense  with  great  delight. 

“Isn’t  it  a beautiful  letter ?”  she  asked  of 
Bertie,  to  whom  she  showed  the  precious  epis- 
tle at  recess.  And  of  course  the  latter  assented, 
though,  not  being  in  the  least  sentimental,  she 
did  not  at  all  understand  the  expressions,  and 
failed  to  see  the  fun. 


So  THREE  YEARS  AT  CLENWOOD. 


CHAPTER  V. 

SUNDAY  VISITING. 

ATIE  ROBERTSON  had  at  last  found 
a friend  — not  a very  old  one,  nor  yet  a 
very  fascinating  one  ; but  still  some- 
body whom  she  could  love,  and  to  whom  she 
could  be  kind,  and  of  course  she  was  much 
happier  in  consequence. 

Bertie’s  cousin  Lilian  was  a very  different 
sort  of  girl  to  either  of  her  older  sisters.  She 
was  slight,  pale,  freckled,  sickly,  and  fretful. 
She  had  good  natural  abilities,  and,  having  at- 
tended school  ever  since  she  was  old  enough,  had 
managed  to  creep  up  to  the  department  in 
which  Katie  was  entered,  although  two  years 
younger  than  the  latter,  in  spite  of  the  many 
days  and  weeks  which  she  had  lost  by  her  fre- 
quent illnesses.  She  and  Sophronia  were  on  the 
terms  which,  alas,  sometimes  exist  between  sis- 
ters ; that  is,  the  elder  had  her  own  way  in  al- 


SUNDAY  VISITING . 


81 


most  everything,  tyrannizing  over  her  younger 
sister,  who  in  turn  was  cross  and  hateful, 
while  not  daring  to  refuse  to  do  the  bidding  of 
the  older  and  stronger  girl.  There  were  three 
years  between  her  and  Sophronia,  and  four 
between  the  latter  and  Augusta ; but  Sophronia 
always  preferred  to  consider  herself  upon  a level 
with  her  elder  sister  and  to  treat  her  younger 
one  as  a “baby.”  Augusta  was  a good-natured 
girl,  and  would  have  taken  poor  little  Lilian’s 
part  and  done  more  for  her,  but  for  the  last 
year  her  thoughts  had  been  taken  up  with  her 
engagement  and  approaching  marriage,  and  she 
had  little  time  to  give  to  such  small  matters  as 
the  concerns  of  school-girls. 

Lilian  was  kept  at  home  with  one  of  her 
many  colds  the  first  week  of  Katie’s  entrance 
into  the  school,  and  when  she  appeared  in  her 
place,  the  latter  could  see  nothing  attractive 
about  her.  But  she  soon  began  to  experience 
a fellow-feeling  for  the  friendless  little  one, 
whose  sister  neglected  her  more  than  ever,  now 
that  she  had  her  cousin  for  her  companion;  and 
by  degrees  — she  hardly  knew  how  it  came  about 
— she  began  to  walk  with  her  at  recess  and  to 


82  THREE  FEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


give  her  help  in  making  up  the  back  lessons 
she  so  frequently  lost. 

Lilian  became  very  fond  of  her  new  friend, 
and  there  was  one  school-girl,  at  least,  who 
thought  Katie  Robertson  was  “ splendid.”  The 
intimacy  continued  when  the  latter  was  pro- 
moted, and  perhaps  added  another  reason 
why  she  found  no  friends  in  her  new  depart- 
ment. 

Lilian  had  often  wished  to  have  Katie  come 
and  see  her  at  her  own  home ; but,  as  we  have 
seen,  the  studious  girl  never  went  out  except  on 
compulsion.  And  whenever  she  suggested  that 
it  would  be  nice  to  have  Katie  come  some  Sun- 
day, Sophronia  vetoed  the  proposition  by  say- 
ing, “ Who  wants  a prig?” 

At  length,  however,  Lilian  went  to  her  father, 
with  whom  she  was  a prime  favorite,  and  boldly 
asked  if  she  might  invite  Katie  Robertson, 
Bertie’s  room-mate,  to  spend  Sunday  with  them. 

“ Certainly,”  said  Mr.  Cleveland,  a fat,  good- 
natured  man,  who  liked  to  have  everybody 
round  him  enjoy  themselves.  “She’s  the  girl 
who  was  so  kind  to  your  cousin  when  she  was 
sick,  is  n’t  she  ? I wonder  your  mother  and 


SUNDAY  VISITING . 


83 

sisters  have  n't  paid  her  some  attention  before 
this.  I always  do  pity  those  poor  girls  shut  up 
in  a boarding-school.” 

So  the  next  Sunday,  in  answer  to  a note  sent 
to  Miss  Perry  by  Mr.  Cleveland,  Katie  accom- 
panied Bertie  from  church  to  her  aunt's  house. 
She  had  hesitated  a little  about  accepting  the 
invitation ; for  Sunday  visiting,  except  for  pur- 
poses of  kindness  and  charity,  had  not  been 
the  custom  at  Squantown,  and  had  never  been 
thought  right  by  her  mother.  But  it  was  the 
general  custom  at  school.  Every  boarder  who 
could  get  an  invitation  for  Sunday  did  so,  and 
the  teachers  always  seemed  to  be  glad  to  be  re- 
lieved of  their  charge  on  this  weary  day.  For 
it  was  a weary  day,  even  to  Katie  Robertson. 
She  enjoyed,  of  course,  the  good  sermons  of  Dr. 
Peabody,  her  own  quiet  Bible  reading  and 
prayer,  and  her  letters  to  her  mother ; but  she 
missed  the  dear  home  Sunday-school,  and  the 
companionship  of  Tessa,  and  she  was  apt  to 
feel  both  lonely  and  homesick  as  twilight  drew 
on  and  she  had  no  one  to  talk  to.  Bertie  had 
spoken  in  high  terms  of  the  good  times  they 
had  at  her  aunt’s  and  she  knew  that  the  family 


84  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

were  all  church  members,  and  that  the  children 
attended  Sunday-school. 

Bertie,  who  was  very  fond  of  her  companion 
in  spite  of  her  subjection  to  Amelia,  and  in 
spite  of  the  half-guilty  feeling  which  kept  her 
from  being  very  intimate  with  one  so  much 
better  than  herself,  was  delighted  to  have  a 
chance  of  showing  off  the  fine  city  house,  which 
was  such  a contrast  to  her  own  plain  home  at 
Squantown.  And  Katie  was  indeed  quite  sur- 
prised at  the  brilliant  velvet  carpets  and  gay, 
showy  furniture,  much  grander  than  any  she 
had  ever  seen,  even  at  Mr.  Mountjoy’s.  And 
yet  her  fine  taste  at  once  missed  the  delicate  air 
of  culture  and  refinement  which  pervaded  the 
“ great  house  ” at  home,  and  which  Miss  Eunice 
had  known  so  well  how  to  utilize  as  a moral  and 
spiritual  influence  over  her  girls. 

There  were  elegant,  plush-covered  chairs  and 
sofas  in  the  drawing-room  here,  heavy  brocatelle 
curtains  with  deep,  gilded  cornices  at  the  front 
windows,  with  a long,  narrow  mirror  resting  on 
a marble  slab  between  them  ; there  were  tall, 
costly  vases  on  the  mantel-piece,  and  a hand- 
some rosewood  piano  in  the  back  room.  But 


SUNDAY  VISITING. 


Ss 


there  were  no  pictures  except  two  badly-colored 
photograph  portraits  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cleveland 
and  a brilliant  chromo  in  a gaudy  frame ; no 
books  except  a large  family  Bible  on  a stand  in 
the  corner ; no  engravings,  and  none  of  the 
countless  little  nick-nacks  with  which  modern 
taste  covers  tables  and  mantels,  and  which  give 
character  and  expression  to  a room. 

The  dinner  was  very  good.  All  sorts  of  nice 
things  were  on  the  table,  to  which  our  two 
country  girls,  used  of  late  to  the  monotonous 
boarding-school  fare,  did  ample  justice.  Great, 
however,  was  Katie’s  astonishment,  when,  as  an 
after-dinner  treat,  a decanter  of  wine  was  pro- 
duced, Mr  Cleveland  filling  glasses  with  it,  and 
passing  them  to  the  children  as  well  as  the 
grown  people.  Never  in  her  life  had  she  seen 
intoxicating  liquor  on  any  one’s  table,  and, 
whether  it  was  wine  or  whiskey,  it  seemed  to  her 
indissolubly  associated  with  bar-rooms,  shanties, 
drunken  factory  operatives,  and  the  awful  tra- 
gedy which  had  so  aroused  Squantown  and  led 
to  the  temperance  movement  there. 

She  looked  at  Bertie  as  the  glass  was  placed 
beside  her,  and  saw  that  while  her  companion 


86  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEJV WOOD. 

was  evidently  embarrassed,  she  said  nothing; 
neither  did  she  put  the  glass  to  her  lips  as  she 
saw  both  her  young  cousins  do. 

Katie  endeavored  to  follow  her  example,  ai.i 
not  seem  to  be  rude  by  refusing  the  offered 
courtesy,  but.  she  could  not  prevent  her  tell-tale 
face  from  expressing  its  astonishment  and  hor- 
ror, which  so  amused  Mr.  Peake,  Augusta’s 
fianct,  who  was  also  at  table,  that  he  burst  into 
a good-natured  laugh,  which  added  greatly  to 
her  embarrassment. 

“ Did  you  think  it  would  bite  ? ” said  he,  as 
soon  as  he  could  speak.  “You  look  as  though 
you  thought  it  a wild  beast.” 

Katie  thought  of  the  Bible  words,  “ It  biteth 
like  a serpent  and  stingeth  like  an  adder ; ” but 
she  did  not  speak,  though  she  felt  conscience- 
stricken  as  she  remembered  the  pledge  of  the 
Do-Good  Society  which  she  had  signed,  and  in 
which  she  had  promised  to  use  “ all  her  influ- 
ence against  liquor  and  tobacco.”  She  felt 
that  it  was  cowardly  to  sit  there  and  say 
nothing,  but  she  could  not  find  anything  to  say. 
She  knew  she  would  be  laughed  at  in  that  soci- 
ety, and  she  had  not  moral  courage  to  face  a 


SUNDA  Y VISITING . 87 

laugh.  Mr.  Cleveland  pitied  her  embarrass- 
ment, and  turned  the  conversation  by  saying,  — 
“ Whoever  is  going  to  Sunday-school  will 

have  to  hurry ; the  bell  has  almost  done  ring- 

* „ »> 
m g. 

" Don’t  let ’s  go,  Bertie,”  said  Sophronia,  as 
her  cousin  rose  really  anxious  to  go,  for  her  fit 
of  Sunday  goodness  was  upon  her,  excited  by 
an  uncommonly  good  sermon  of  Dr.  Peabody’s. 
“ Don’t  let ’s  go.  I ’ve  got  something  to  show  you 
in  my  room  — the  loveliest  story,”  she  said  in  a 
lower  tone,  which  however  was  heard  by  Katie. 
“We  ’ll  just  have  time  to  read  it  together,  and 
the  book  will  have  to  go  back  to  the  library  to- 
morrow.” Bertie  looked  a little  irresolute,  but 
as  usual,  yielded  to  the  stronger  influence,  and 
went  upstairs  with  her  cousin. 

“ You  ’re  surely  not  going  to  immolate  yourself 
in  that  crowded  Sunday-school  room,”  said  Mr. 
Peake,  as  Augusta  also  rose  from  the  table. 

“My  class  will  expect  me,”  she  said,  “1  have 
not  provided  a substitute.” 

“Then  they’ll  have  to  expect,  or  the  school 
will  have  to  provide  one.  Do  you  think  I am 
going  to  spare  you  to  a set  of  infants  this  whole 


88  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

Sunday  afternoon  ? Come  into  the  parlor  now, 
and  make  yourself  agreeable.  I need  somebody 
to  teach  me,  and  I’m  of  a great  deal  more  con- 
sequence than  all  the  infants,”  and  of  course 
the  young  lady  obeyed  and  followed  him  into 
the  drawing-room. 

“ Come,  Lilian,  hurry,  ” said  her  mother, 
“you’ll  be  late.” 

“ I don’t  see  why  I need  go  if  Sophie  don’t,” 
said  the  child  fretfully,  “besides  I want  to  go  to 
ride.” 

“ There  ’ll  be  plenty  of  time  for  both,  puss,” 
said  her  father  kindly.  “ I am  sure  your  friend 
here  will  like  to  see  our  model  Sunday-school, 
and  I ’ll  stop  for  you  both  at  the  door,  as  soon 
as  the  exercises  are  over.” 

“ Would  you  like  to  go,  Katie  ? ” said  the  little 
girl,  with  an  entire  change  of  tone. 

“ Of  course  I should.  I have  n’t  been  inside  a 
city  Sunday-school  yet.” 

“Of  course  I ’ll  go  then,”  said  Lily,  and  ran 
away  to  get  her  hat. 

Katie  Robertson  was  used  to  the  extremely 
pretty  Gothic  Sunday-school  room  at  Squan- 
town.  She  had  imagined  that  nothing  could  be 


SUNDAY  VISITING 


89 


grander  or  more  beautiful,  but  she  was  lost  in 
astonishment  when  she  entered  the  immense 
rotunda,  capable  of  seating  three  thousand,  filled 
to  almost  its  utmost  capacity  with  children, 
teachers  and  visitors.  There  was  a fountain  in 
the  centre,  whose  cool  waters  plashed  down 
upon  bright  yellow  pebbles,  surrounded  with  a 
fringe  of  flowering  green-house  plants,  and  re- 
flected in  a thousand  prismatic  rays  the  colored 
glass,  of  which  the  roof  was  almost  entirely 
composed.  The  classes  were  arranged  around 
the  fountain  in  radiating  lines,  as  far  as  a semi- 
circular row  of  columns,  between  which  were 
fastened  sliding  doors,  which,  when  they  were 
closed,  formed  a row  of  little  rooms  or  chapels, 
in  each  of  which  was  gathered  a Bible  Class  of 
older  boys  and  girls.  Above  this  ran  a gallery, 
in  which  were  seats  for  visitors,  multitudes  of 
whom  always  attended  the  sessions  of  this 
model  school.  Across  the  other  side  of  the 
building  ran  a broad  platform,  where  the  super- 
intendent and  officers  sat,  where  the  organ  was 
situated,  and  where  gentlemen  stood  when  they 
addressed  the  school.  Back  of  this  were  great 
sliding  doors,  which,  when  opened,  disclosed  the 


90  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

Infant  and  Primary  Classes,  several  hundreds  of 
small  children  being  arranged  on  low  seats. 

Nothing  could  equal  the  order  and  regularity 
with  which  the  school  exercises  were  conducted, 
the  unanimity  of  the  Scripture  reading,  the  heart- 
iness of  the  responses  and  the  readiness  with 
which  a few  general  questions  upon  the  lesson 
were  answered.  But  when  the  classes  were  left 
to  their  teachers,  the  young  visitor  experienced  a 
sense  of  disappointment,  and  sighed  in  vain  for 
the  spiritual  lessons  of  her  first  teacher  and  the 
thorough  preparation  of  Miss  Etta.  The  young 
lady  to  whose  class  she  had  accompanied  Lilian, 
got  through  the  lesson  as  rapidly  as  possible  by 
asking  the  printed  questions,  and  supplying  the 
answers  when  any  one  hesitated.  Then  she 
turned  to  the  young  lady  teacher  next  to  her, 
and  commenced  a lively  conversation  concern- 
ing dress,  and  the  parties  of  the  week  past  or 
to  come,  in  which,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at,  the  girls  of  both  classes  took  a deep  inter- 
est, finding  it  much  more  exciting  than  the  dry, 
formal  lesson.  The  advent  of  the  librarian  with 
the  “books,”  put  an  end  to  this,  and  then  came 
the  closing  exercises,  after  which  the  vast  mul- 


SUNDAY  VISITING, 


9 1 

titude  of  little  folks,  filed  in  an  orderly  manner, 
out  of  the  eight  doors,  and  in  a few  minutes, 
without  noise  or  confusion,  the  great  building 
was  emptied. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  all  the  classes 
in  the  Sunday-school  were  taught  by  the  same 
kind  of  teachers  as  Lilian’s  and  the  one  next 
to  it.  There  were  many  earnest,  hard-working 
Christians  among  them.  Good  teachers’-meet- 
ings  and  plenty  of  “ helps  ” were  provided  ; and 
all,  had  they  chosen  to  avail  themselves  of  their 
privileges,  might  have  been  well  prepared  to 
teach,  elucidate,  and  enforce  the  sacred  lessons 
of  God’s  holy  Word.  But  in  all  our  fashionable 
Sunday-schools,  as,  alas ! in  our  fashionable 
churches,  there  is  a class  of  young  people  who 
take  their  places  there  because  it  is  “ the  thing  ” 
to  do,  and  are  not  a whit  the  less  worldly  than 
their  companions  who  stand  professedly  on 
the  outside.  Perhaps  there  have  been  times 
when  the  longing  to  live  a Christ-like  life  burned 
strongly  in  their  souls,  and  they  even  felt  a de- 
sire to  tell  unto  others  the  wonderful  story  of 
the  Cross  ; but  the  world  had  too  strong  a 
hold  upon  them ; the  pleasures  and  cares  so 


92  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

fascinating  and  so  absorbing  in  a city  life  have 
choked  the  good  seed,  rendering  it,  for  the  time, 
unfruitful,  and,  while  having  a name  to  live, 
they  are,  to  all  appearances,  dead. 

At  the  door  of  the  Sunday-school,  Katie  and 
Lilian  found  a great  sleigh  piled  up  with  furs 
and  drawn  by  two  splendid  horses,  which,  as 
Mr.  Cleveland  was  a grocer,  on  week  days  drew 
the  provision-carts  from  door  to  door.  Lilian’s 
father  held  the  reins,  and  in  the  sleigh  were 
already  her  three  sisters,  Bertie,  and  Mr.  Peake. 

“Stow  yourselves  in,  little  girls,”  said  Mr. 
Cleveland  good-naturedly,  “only  make  haste, 
for  the  afternoon  is  rapidly  passing  away.” 

“ It  is  n’t  far  to  walk,”  said  Katie,  supposing 
they  were  only  going  home ; “ not  nearly  so 
far  as  we  always  walk  at  Squantown.” 

“ You ’d  be  greatly  tired  to  walk  where  we  are 
going,  little  Puritan,”  said  Mr.  Peake.  “Wait 
till  you  see.” 

And  then  the  big  horses  began  to  prance,  and 
they  dashed  up  the  avenue  through  miles  and 
miles  of  gay  parties  on  foot,  on  horseback,  in  car- 
riages, and  in  sleighs.  Such  elegant  equipages, 
so  much  fine  dress,  such  bustle,  glitter,  and  gai- 


SUNDAY  VISITING . 


93 


ety  Katie  Robertson  had  never  seen  in  her  life, 
and  when  at  the  end  of  the  long  street  they 
entered  the  park,  she  was  still  more  aston- 
ished, and  could  hardly  believe  it  was  Sunday. 
Hundreds  of  merry  skaters  wheeled  and  flew 
over  the  ice  in  the  pond,  hundreds  of  people 
promenaded  over  the  terraces,  and  hundreds 
more  kept  constantly  entering  the  doors  of  a 
gaily-decorated  building,  where,  in  their  turn, 
our  party  alighted,  and  going  into  a well-lighted 
hall,  took  such  seats  as  they  could  find,  and  lis- 
tened, with  the  rest  of  the  crowds,  to  the  gay 
and  inspiriting  tones  of  a multitude  of  musical 
instruments. 

Katie  had  at  first  supposed  that  they  were 
going  to  some  kind  of  a church  service,  but  the 
music  was  unfamiliar  in  its  nature  ; and  pres- 
ently, in  answer  to  a puzzling  question,  Lilian 
said,  — 

“Oh,  it’s  only  a concert.  In  summer  they 
always  had  it  in  the  open  air ; but  since  the  cold 
weather  came  on,  the  music-stand  has  been 
moved  into  the  Casino/' 

“ But  do  they  always  have  it  on  Sunday  ? ” 

“ Now  they  do.  It  used  to  be  on  Satur- 


94  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

day  afternoon ; but  there  were  a good  many 
people  who  could  not  come  then,  and  last  sum- 
mer they  tried  changing  it  to  Sunday.  Mr. 
Peake  says  it 's  a very  successful  experiment, 
and  can  never  be  changed  back  again  now.” 

“I  think  it’s  perfectly  awful,”  said  Katie. 
“It’s  just  Sabbath-breaking.  I wish  I hadn’t 
come.” 

“ Well,  we  ’re  going  home  now  ; the  music  is 
over,  and  it ’s  most  dark  ; we  were  very  late  to- 
day, anyway.”  The  party  were  then  again 
packed  into  the  sleigh,  which  took  its  place  in 
the  procession  of  gay  equipages,  dashing  rapidly 
back  to  the  city. 

“ What  a gain  we  have  made  upon  the  old 
Puritanic  times,”  said  Mr.  Peake.  “ I wonder 
the  Pilgrim  Fathers  don’t  turn  over  in  their 
graves ; but  we ’ve  beat  the  Sabbath  anyhow. 
As  if  there  could  be  any  sin  in  a pleasant 
drive  and  a little  fine  music  on  Sunday  after- 
noons.” 

“I  can’t  see  any  harm,”  said  Mr.  Cleveland; 
“ at  any  rate  I could  n’t  drive  any  other  day,  and 
I suppose  there  are  many  other  people  situated 
in  the  same  way.  I would  not  interfere  with 


SUNDAY  VISITING . 


95 


any  one  else's  conscience,  but  I always  hate  to 
see  Sunday  made  cold  and  forbidding,  or  reli- 
gion held  up  as  a bugbear.” 

“Yes,”  said  Mr.  Peake,  “fanatics  have  no 
right  to  take  away  the  workingman's  only  holi- 
day, and  the  sooner  a religion  that  ‘ grinds  the 
face  of  the  poor’  is  abolished,  the  better.” 

“ Stop,  Eustace,”  said  Augusta;  “you've  too 
many  listeners  for  that  sort  of  talk ; ” and  the 
two  fell  into  a colloquy  of  too  low  a tone  for  the 
little  girls  in  the  back  seat  to  hear. 

“ Do  you  think  it 's  wrong  to  go  riding  and  to 
listen  to  music  on  Sunday  ? ” said  Lilian,  turn- 
ing to  Katie. 

“ I always  thought  it  was  wrong  to  do  any- 
thing except  go  to  church  and  Sunday-school, 
and  to  read  good  books  and  the  Bible.  But 
your  father 's  very  kind  to  take  me,  and  what  he 
said  sounded  right.  I really  don’t  know  what 
to  think.” 

“ I thought  it  wrong,  too,  in  Squantown,”  said 
Bertie,  “ but  it  seems  right  here.  Uncle  Oscar 
is  a church  member,  and  Augusta  and  Sophro- 
nia ; they  would  n't  all  do  what 's  wrong.” 

“ I wish,”  said  Lilian,  and  then  she  hesitated 


9 6 THREE  YEARS  A T GLENWOOD. 

and  changed  her  sentence  to  — “ How  is  it, 
Katie,  that  you  always  want  to  know  what ’s 
right  instead  of  what ’s  pleasant  ? ” 

“I  want  to  please  the  Lord  Jesus  who  has 
done  so  much  for  me.  Don’t  you  ? ” 

“ I don’t  know.  I have  n’t  thought  much 
about  it,  — at  least  not  till  quite  lately.” 

By  this  time  it  was  quite  dark,  and  they  had 
reached  the  house,  where  another  luxurious 
meal  called  by  Mr.  Cleveland  “ supper  ” (a  piece 
of  vulgarity  of  which  his  daughters  could  never 
break  him)  awaited  them.  There  was  cold  ham 
and  tongue  and  stewed  oysters  and  hot  biscuits 
and  preserves  and  honey  and  varieties  of  cake. 
Mr.  Cleveland  always  said  that  if  a grocer’s 
family  should  n’t  have  good  things  he  did  n’t 
know  who  should  ; and  Sunday  was  in  his  house 
a special  day  of  feasting.  Katie  could  not  help 
remembering  the  wording  of  the  commandment, 
and  wondering  how  the  “ maid-servant  ” was  to 
keep  it  who  had  so  much  cooking  to  do  and  so 
many  dishes  to  wash  upon  the  Sabbath  day. 

The  bells  rang  for  evening  church  before 
they  had  all  left  the  tea-table,  but  no  one 
showed  any  inclination  to  go.  Augusta  said 


SUNDAY  VISITING . 


97 


she  was  “ tired  to  death,”  and  threw  herself 
upon  the  sofa,  where  Mr.  Peake  fanned  her. 
Poor  over-worked  Aunt  Cleveland,  who  spent  all 
her  week-day  time  and  strength  in  ruffling  the 
girls’  skirts  and  trimming  their  dresses,  took 
the  only  rest  she  allowed  herself  through  the 
week  by  falling  asleep  in  a big  easy  chair, 
while  her  husband  followed  her  example  in 
another. 

The  four  younger  girls  sat  together  and 
talked  a little,  but  they  had  all  eaten  too  much 
supper,  and  the  ride  in  the  cold  air  had  made 
them  sleepy,  and  no  one  was  sorry  when  Mr. 
Peake,  looking  at  his  watch,  said,  — 

“Now,  you  unfortunate  young  prisoners,  I 
suppose  you  will  get  a taste  of  jail  discipline  if 
I don’t  carry  you  home  immediately.” 

“Didn’t  we  have  a lovely  time?”  said  Bertie, 
when  the  girls  were  alone  in  their  own  room. 
“Was  n’t  everything  just  splendid.” 

“ The  dinner  and  tea  were  beautiful,  and  the 
furniture  and  carpets,  and  it  was  very  kind  in 
your  uncle  and  aunt  to  invite  me,”  said  Katie, 
trying  to  think  of  all  the  pleasant  things  to  say 
that  she  possibly  could. 


9§  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOOD. 

“ But  did  n’t  you  have  a splendid  time  ? ” 

“ No,  I can’t  say  that  I did,”  said  Katie 
slowly.  “ It  don’t  seem  right  to  spend  Sunday 
just  that  way.” 

“Well,  you  are  a queer  girl,”  said  Bertie, 
much  offended,  and  nothing  more  was  said. 

Katie  Robertson  was  very  much  dissatisfied 
with  herself  that  evening  as  she  knelt  for  her 
evening  prayer.  Her  spirits  were  not  in  tune  ; 
instead  of  the  words  she  wanted  to  say,  memo- 
ries of  the  gay  sleighing  parties  ran  through 
her  mind,  and  questions  as  to  whether  Bertie’s 
uncle  and  Mr.  Peake  were  right  in  what  they 
had  said  about  Sunday  pleasure.  She  felt,  too, 
as  though  she  had  been  cowardly  in  not  assert- 
ing her  principles  upon  the  wine  question,  and 
in  not  refusing  to  go  to  ride  when  she  felt  it  to 
be  wrong.  Most  of  all  she  missed  the  influ- 
ence of  her  usual  time  of  quiet  Bible  reading 
and  prayer,  in  which  she  had  been  wont  to  lay 
down  all  the  week’s  cares  at  the  feet  of  Him 
who  “ careth  for  us,”  and  to  gather  up  strength 
for  the  coming  week’s  duties  and  responsibili- 
ties. 

Thinking  the  matter  quietly  over  before  she 


SUNDAY  VISITING . 


99 


went  to  sleep,  Katie  decided,  once  for  all,  that, 
in  spite  of  the  agreeable  change  from  boarding- 
school  fare,  and  in  spite  of  her  lonely  Sunday 
afternoons,  she  would  not  again  accompany 
Bertie  to  her  cousin’s,  as  she  had  been  asked  to 
do  “ whenever  she  felt  like  it.” 

Having  made  this  decision  and  asked  forgive- 
ness for  all  that  had  been  amiss  through  the 
day,  our  little  Christian  found  it  easier  to  pray, 
and  was  soon  soundly  and  quietly  asleep. 


IOO  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOOD. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A WASTED  OPPORTUNITY. 

HE  long  spring  days  had  come.  There 
was  more  light  now,  and,  for  those  who 
desired  so  to  use  it,  more  time  to  study. 
Katie  Robertson,  though  feeling  the  spring  lan- 
guor, threw  herself  into  her  work  with  renewed 
energy,  and  had  no  time  to  feel  lonely.  She 
had  passed  her  second  examination,  and  secured 
her  second  promotion  the  first  of  March.  One 
quarter  more  of  steady  effort  would  bring  her 
into  the  same  class  with  Sophronia  and  Helen 
Lome,  and  she  bent  all  her  energies  to  the 
task,  at  no  matter  what  cost.  She  was  not 
really  doing  herself  justice  now,  for  though 
she  never  failed  to  have  perfect  recitations 
and  her  deportment  marks  were  unvarying,  she 
often  completely  failed  to  grasp  a subject  com- 
prehensively, and  her  perfect  answers  became 
things  of  rote.  Worse  still,  the  constant  ner- 


A WASTED  OPPORTUNITY.  IOC 

vous  strain  began  to  tell  upon  her  temper.  She 
lost  some  of  her  usual  bright,  happy  spirit,  and 
became  cross  and  snappish  towards  the  girls 
with  whom  she  came  in  contact. 

Lilian  still  continued  Katie’s  warm  admirer 
and  faithful  friend.  She  sought  her  at  recess, 
and  when  she  could  succeed  in  drawing  her  from 
her  books  for  a few  moments  in  the  garden  or 
hall,  she  was  exceedingly  happy.  Lilian  always 
brought  her  “ lunch”  to  school.  It  generally 
consisted  of  rich  cake  and  other  delicacies,  a 
generous  portion  of  which  was  often  pressed 
upon  Katie,  who  found  it  a great  improvement 
upon  the  plain  but  good  boarding-school  fare. 
Occasionally,  also,  the  little  girl,  who  went  and 
came  as  she  chose,  unquestioned  by  any  one  at 
home,  would  come  round  to  the  boarding-house 
late  in  the  afternoon,  and  insist  upon  her  friend’s 
taking  a walk  with  her,  on  which  occasions  the 
country  girl  had  become  somewhat  familiar  with 
the  great  city  of  which  she  was  at  present  a 
resident.  On  several  occasions  she  had  gone 
home  with  Lily,  and  one  Saturday  evening  she 
had  been  invited  to  tea,  and  been  treated  with 
the  usual  lavish  hospitality  by  the  grocer  and 


102  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOOD. 


his  wife,  with  good-natured  indulgence  by  Au- 
gusta, and  haughty  rudeness  by  Sophronia ; but 
she  had  never  accepted  another  Sunday  invi- 
tation. 

Sophronia  Cleveland  was  one  of  those  exceed- 
ingly silly  girls  who  think  that  the  possession 
of  a certain  amount  of  money,  or  the  holding  of 
a certain  position  in  society,  makes  a person 
better,  and  she  was  always  trying  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  what  she  called  “ genteel  girls,” 
like  Helen  Lome,  or  else  with  those  who,  having 
a great  deal  of  money  to  waste,  became  by  its 
use  very  popular  among  their  companions.  She 
was  not  a great  favorite  among  such  girls,  in 
spite  of  the  faultless  dresses  which  she  insisted 
her  mother  should  provide  for  both  herself  and 
Lilian.  She  was  in  constant  terror  lest  the  girls 
whose  fathers  were  bankers  and  produce-dealers 
should  discover  that  her  father  was  a retail  gro- 
cer, and  she  should  thus  sink  lower  in  the  social 
scale.  She  was  heartily  ashamed  of  the  fact 
that  Bertie  had  worked  in  the  Squantown  Paper 
Mill,  and  would  have  been  glad  to  ignore  her 
acquaintance  had  that  been  possible.  But  as 
the  country  girl  was  her  own  cousin,  she  could 


A WASTED  OPPORTUNITY.  103 

not  very  well  do  that,  so  she  did  what  seemed 
to  her  the  next  best  thing,  that  is,  to  keep  the 
terrible  fact  from  the  knowledge  of  the  girls, 
if  it  could  be  done.  As  a step  in  this  direction 
she  never  noticed  Katie,  whose  connection  with 
Bertie  might  so  easily  reveal  the  secret.  On 
the  contrary,  she  hinted,  to  those  who  would 
listen,  how  unfortunate  it  was  for  her  cousin  to 
be  forced  to  room  with  one  whom  she  would 
never  have  associated  with  at  home  ; a girl  who 
was  educated  by  charity,  and  about  whose  past 
there  was  something  — though  she  did  not  say 
what  — extremely  disgraceful.  It  was  in  part 
owing  to  these  somewhat  undefined  hints,  that 
Katie  found  herself  a subject  of  such  marked 
avoidance.  Had  the  girls  been  a little  older  and 
wiser  they  would  have  seen  that  our  delicate, 
lady-like  little  Katie  was  greatly  the  superior  — 
even  in  the  social  scale  — of  the  rough  Bertie 
Sanderson  and  the  pretentious  Sophronia  Cleve- 
land. And  perhaps,  had  they  been  told  directly 
that  the  “ disgraceful  ” thing  was  simply  work- 
ing in  a paper  mill,  they  would  not  have  seen 
anything  so  very  disgraceful  in  it.  As  it  was, 
however,  they  magnified  the  mystery  into  some- 


104  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD . 

thing  very  awful,  and  this  feeling,  added  to 
Katie’s  own  absorption  in  her  work,  left  her 
almost  without  friends. 

But  Lilian's  devotion  was  unbounded.  Her 
new  friend  was,  as  she  told  her  old  ones,  “ per- 
fectly lovely."  She  looked  up  to  her  with  the  re- 
spect of  a little  girl  for  a “big”  one,  and  fought 
many  a battle  with  her  sister,  on  behalf  of  her 
friend.  Lilian  had  another  reason  for  seeking 
Katie’s  acquaintance,  which  as  yet  she  had  been 
too  bashful  to  express.  In  her  many  days  of 
sickness  and  loneliness,  the  Holy  Spirit  had 
touched  the  little  girl’s  heart.  She  felt  that  she 
needed  something  that  she  did  not  have,  to 
make  her  good  and  happy  here,  and  to  fit  her 
for  that  early  death  which  she  sometimes 
thought  to  be  very  probable.  And  that  some- 
thing, she  instinctively  felt,  Katie  Robertson 
had.  She  knew  that  Augusta  and  Sophronia 
did  not  have  it,  although  more  than  a year  ago 
they  had  stood  before  the  church  and  confessed 
themselves  followers  of  their  Saviour.  She  had 
seen  no  difference  in  their  lives ; they  cared  as 
much  as  ever  for  dress  and  worldly  amusements, 
and  while  the  oldest  sister  was,  as  she  always 


A WASTED  OPPORTUNITY. 


105 


had  been,  good-natured  and  kind  to  the  little 
one,  Sophronia  was  even  more  cross  and  disa- 
greeable, and  the  poor  child  felt  that  she  could 
get  no  help  or  sympathy  from  hen 

With  regard  to  Augusta,  Lilian  made  a mis- 
take. There  had  been  a time  when  the  girl's 
heart  was  very  tender ; when,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  earnest  preaching  of  the  young 
pastor,  of  whom  Bertie  had  spoken  in  her  let- 
ter, she  had  resolved  to  give  up  the  world, 
and  live  for  Him  who  had  given  his  life  for 
hen  Under  the  influence  of  these  feelings 
she  had  joined  the  church,  and  persuaded  her 
younger  sister  to  do  so  at  about  the  same  time 
that  all  the  girls  in  Miss  Etta  Mountjoy’s  Sun- 
day-school class  had  taken  the  same  step  at 
Squantown. 

But  she  “ went  into  society  ” soon  after  that, 
and  found  its  parties,  and  dress,  and  excitements 
very  fascinating.  And  then  she  was  engaged  to 
Mr.  Peake,  and  he,  being  one  of  the  young  men 
of  the  day  who  think  it  manly  and  superior  to  say 
flippant  things  about  religion,  soon  put  Augus- 
ta’s transient  “ goodness"  to  flight.  It  may  be 
that  the  good  seed  still  lay  dormant  in  her 


10 6 THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOGD. 


heart,  waiting  for  better  influences  to  cause  it  to 
germinate  and  bring  forth  fruit ; but  for  the 
present  it  was  to  all  appearances  dead,  buried 
under  the  cares  and  pleasures  and  concerns  of 
this  world.  As  to  Sophronia,  she  had  never 
known  any  religious  convictions  at  all.  She  had 
been  carried  along  by  the  general  tide  of  feeling 
around  her,  — her  sisters  influence,  and  the  fact 
that  many  of  the  most  wealthy  and  aristocratic 
girls  of  the  church  and  Sunday-school  were 
going  to  “ join  the  church  ” at  the  same  time. 
No  one  offered  any  opposition  when  she  an- 
nounced her  purpose  of  being  one  of  them,  and 
somehow,  among  so  many,  she  escaped  any 
very  special  examination  as  to  her  fitness  for 
so  solemn  a step.  She  came  forward  with  the 
rest,  felt  a passing  sense  of  importance  as  she 
stood  before  so  many  approving  eyes,  and  then 
went  back  to  school  and  her  daily  life,  the  same 
worldly,  self-seeking  girl  as  ever — the  incident 
of  Sunday  making  scarcely  a ripple  upon  the 
smoothly-flowing  current.  Of  how  many  of  the 
young  people  of  our  Sunday-schools,  who  are 
“ taken  into  the  church  ” in  great  numbers  at 
times  of  general  religious  interest,  is  the  spi- 


A WASTED  OPPORTUNITY. 


107 


ritual  history  of  Augusta  and  Sophronia  an 
exact  counterpart  ? 

But  Lilian  had  seen  enough  of  Bertie  during 
her  former  visit  to  know  that  her  repentance 
was  genuine,  and  to  feel,  young  as  she  was,  that 
the  mysterious  something,  which  we  know  is  the 
influence  of  the  blessed  Holy  Spirit,  was  at 
work  in  her  cousin’s  heart.  All  the  months 
which  had  intervened  she  had  been  feeling 
her  own  way  along ; sometimes  careless  and 
thoughtless,  but  sometimes  realizing  that  the 
fretfulness  and  crossness  for  which  she  was 
constantly  reproved,  and  the  flashes  of  anger 
with  which  she  received  her  sister’s  snubbing, 
were  sinful.  Sometimes  she  struggled  very 
hard  to  be  better  ; but  she  somehow  never  made 
any  progress,  and  before  long  became  com- 
pletely disgusted  with  herself,  as  every  one 
will  be  who  attempts  to  be  good  in  her  own 
strength. 

When  Lilian  heard  that  Bertie  Sanderson  was 
coming  to  the  same  school  as  herself,  she  was 
full  of  hope,  and  thought  that  she  should  learn 
from  her  cousin  the  secret  she  so  much  desired 
to  know.  But,  alas!  Bertie  at  once  devoted 


108  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENJVOOD. 


herself  to  Sophronia,  who  was  about  her  own 
age,  and  took  very  little  notice  of  “ the  baby,” 
as  pale,  under-sized  little  Lilian  was  often  called 
in  her  own  home.  It  was  not  long,  however, 
before  she  saw  that  to  Katie  Robertson  religion 
was  a reality  ; that  Katie  really  did  endeavor  to 
be  faithful  to  all  her  duties,  to  please  God  in 
little  things,  and  in  all  her  ways  to  acknowledge 
Him  ; and  she  felt  that  Katie  might  be  able  to 
give  her  the  help  she  so  much  desired.  There- 
fore she  clung  to  her  and  watched  her,  and  tried, 
in  spite  of  that  causeless  yet  real  shrinking, 
which  we  all  feel  from  telling  any  one  when  we 
are  first  thinking  about  sacred  things,  to  bring 
herself  to  the  point  of  asking  her  companion 
the  old  question,  “ What  must  I do  to  be 
saved  ? ” 

One  day  Lilian  felt  unusually  brave.  She 
saw  Katie  sitting  at  her  desk  at  recess,  and  she 
went  to  her  and  said, — 

" Come  and  walk ; I have  something  very  par- 
ticular I want  to  ask  you  about/'  The  color 
flashed  to  her  usually  pale  cheeks  as  she  did  so, 
and  she  trembled  from  head  to  foot.  It  may 
seem  to  us  a very  little  matter,  but  the  success- 


A WASTED  OPPORTUNITY.  109 

ful  effort  to  say  as  much  as  that  had  cost  the 
timid  little  girl  more  than  many  a greater  self- 
sacrifice  of  witnessing  has  cost  the  martyrs. 

But  Katie  was  quite  unconscious  of  the 
struggle.  She  did  not  see  the  scarlet  cheeks  or 
the  tear-dimmed  eyes,  nor  did  she  catch  the 
nervous  quiver  of  the  plaintive  voice.  She 
never  looked  up  from  the  paper  upon  which  she 
was  steadily  writing,  as  she  said  : 

“I  can’t  come,  Lily,  I really  can’t  You’ll 
have  to  find  some  one  else  to  walk  with  to-day, 
I’m  so  busy  I can’t  spare  a single  minute;”  and 
if  it  had  not  been  for  her  uniform  habits  of 
sweetness  and  gentleness,  she  might  have  ut- 
tered an  impatient  exclamation  about  the  “ tire- 
some little  thing,”  who  still  leaned  wistfully 
upon  the  back  of  her  chair. 

Instead  she  went  quietly  on  with  her  writing, 
and  by  and  by  Lilian  walked  slowly  away,  swal- 
lowing her  disappointed  tears  as  best  she  could, 
and  it  was  a long  time  before  she  again  screwed 
up  her  courage  to  talk  to  any  one  about  re- 
ligion. 

And  what  was  it  that  so  engrossed  our  Katie 
as  to  make  her  quite  forget  to  be  Christ-like, 


IIO  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEATVOOD. 

and  to  throw  away  the  opportunity  which  He 
brought  to  her  of  doing  direct  work  for  Him  ? 

There  was  to  be  an  “ entertainment  ” given 
by  several  of  the  intermediate  departments. 
Such  things  were  common  at  Glenwood,  and 
their  uniform  success  added  greatly  to  the  repu- 
tation and  popularity  of  the  school.  It  was  to 
be  a dialogue  in  character  and  costume.  The 
main  part  had  been  written  by  one  of  the 
teachers  who  was  clever  with  her  pen,  but  it 
was  to  close  with  a little  poem,  written  by  the 
girl  who  delivered  it,  and  of  course  the  writer  of 
the  poem  would  receive  great  admiration  and 
applause.  For  this  honor  Katie  was  making 
strenuous  efforts.  She  had  already  distin- 
guished herself  by  several  little  attempts  at  ver- 
sification, two  of  which  had  been  read  in  the 
chapel  before  the  whole  assembled  school  on 
Friday  afternoons.  She  was  determined  to  suc- 
ceed now,  and  she  had  utilized  every  hour  that 
could  be  spared  from  her  other  duties  to  write 
and  re-write  her  verses  and  to  polish  them  to 
the  utmost  degree  of  which  she  was  capable. 
She  was  now  making  the  last  fair  copy  which 
she  expected  to  hand  in  to  the  composition 


A WASTED  OPPORTUNITY.  Ill 

teacher,  in  whose  hands  lay  the  decision,  imme- 
diately after  recess.  There  was  no  harm  in 
what  she  was  doing.  It  was,  indeed,  simple  com- 
pliance with  the  wishes  of  those  who  were  in 
authority  over  her ; but  Katie’s  motives  of 
action  were  somehow  becoming  complicated. 
She  was  ceasing  to  act  with  an  eye  single  to 
God’s  glory.  Her  ambition  was  tinged  with  some 
thoughts  of  herself  and  her  own  honor,  and  the 
tempter  made  use  of  these  mixed  motives  to 
turn  her  attention  from  the  opportunities  her 
Saviour  gave  her  of  doing  self-denying  work  for 
Him. 

The  poem  was  accepted  and  commended. 
The  parts  were  given  out,  and  for  a week  or 
two  there  were  constant  rehearsals  and  a great 
deal  of  time  spent  in  arranging  costumes  and 
planning  postures  and  details.  For  emblems 
to  denote  the  different  characters,  the  labora- 
tory and  museum  were  laid  under  contribution, 
while  the  mothers  of  the  day-scholars  provided 
what  they  thought  suitable  dresses.  Fortu- 
nately a perfectly  simple  white  dress,  with  the 
addition  of  a white  wreath  loaned  by  one  of  the 
other  boarders,  was  the  most  suitable  costume 


1 12  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


for  the  part  which  Katie  was  to  take,  and  this 
the  wardrobe  supplied  by  her  uncle’s  liberality 
afforded.  Lilian,  on  account  of  her  exceedingly 
diminutive  size  which  made  her  appear  much 
younger  than  she  really  was,  was  selected  as 
the  principal  character,  and  the  constant  study 
of  her  part,  with  the  frequent  rehearsals  and 
continual  flutter  of  anticipation,  effectually  put 
an  end,  for  the  present,  to  the  little  girl’s  reli- 
gious anxieties.  Katie  was  greatly  elated  with 
her  triumph,  but  had  she  known  at  what  cost  it 
was  won,  she  might  well  have  heard  a still, 
small  voice,  saying  in  her  ear,  — 

What  shall  it  profit  a man  if  he  shall  gain 
the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  or  his  neigh- 
bor’s soul  ? 

On  the  appointed  evening  the  chapel  of  the 
Institute,  brilliantly  lighted  and  adorned  with 
flowers,  was  filled  with  a crowd  of  well-dressed 
mammas  and  papas  and  other  friends  who  were 
all  delighted  to  see  their  children  act,  and  who, 
by  constant  rounds  of  applause,  added  the  intoxi- 
cants of  flattery  to  the  other  dangerous  influ- 
ences of  the  occasion.  Thirty-five  of  the  girls 
took  part,  Lilian  personating  the  Little  Scho - 


A WASTED  OPPORTUNITY.  113 

lav  and  Katie  Robertson  Religion  who  came 
in  at  the  close.  Bertie,  who  very  much  desired 
to  take  part,  was  declared  to  be  too  big  — pos- 
sibly the  teacher  in  charge  doubted  her  powers 
of  committing  the  part  to  memory.  Sophronia 
scornfully  declined  to  have  anything  to  do  with 
“the  baby  show/’  but  sat  with  her  friends 
among  the  audience. 


114  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

COMMENCING  AN  EDUCATION. 


m 


HE  platform  of  the  chapel  had  been 
somewhat  enlarged  and  covered  with  a 
bright  carpet.  In  the  centre  of  it  was 
a chair,  against  which  Lilian  was  discovered  in 
a very  short  dress,  holding  a hoop  in  one  hand, 
and  with  the  other  pressing  a doll  to  her  bosom. 
Speaking  to  herself,  she  said,  — 

“ Oh  dear  ! I ’ve  got  to  be  educated.  I don’t 
know  what  that  means,  but  I am  afraid  it  won’t 
be  half  as  pleasant  as  playing  with  my  doll  and 
rolling  my  hoop  have  been.” 

A grave-looking  figure  in  a long  dressing- 
gown,  wearing  spectacles  and  carrying  a pile  of 
books,  here  entered,  and  the  Little  Scholar  con- 
tinued : 

“ What  a queer-looking  person  that  is.  Pray, 
who  are  you  ? ” 

Figure  (advancing  from  right  and  offering 


COMMENCING  AN  EDUCATION  1 15 

books).  — “ My  name  is  Reading.  I am  to  be 
your  constant  companion  in  the  future.  Without 
knowing  me  you  could  know  nothing  of  what 
has  happened  in  the  past,  or  is  now  going  on  in 
the  world.  You  would  grow  up  to  be  an  igno- 
rant dunce.” 

Little  Scholar. — “ I don’t  want  to  be  that,  of 
course  ; but  I don’t  like  your  looks  much.  I hope 
you  will  leave  me  alone  sometimes  ” (turning  to 
the  left  to  greet  a figure  wrapped  in  a great  map 
and  carrying  a globe,  while  Reading  fell  back, 
and  stood  still).  “ What ’s  your  name  ? ” 

“ I am  a great  traveller.  I can  tell  you  about 
all  the  countries  in  the  world,  what  grows  in 
them,  how  the  people  live,  what  they  do,  and 
how  they  dress.  I received  my  education  from 
an  old  philosopher  named  Thales,  of  Miletus, 
more  than  two  thousand  years  ago.  I am  called 
Geography , from  two  Greek  words,  which  mean 
the  earth  and  to  write.” 

“ I am  sure  I shall  like  you,  and  to  hear  all 
you  have  to  tell  about  the  countries  and  the 
people,  but  I hope  you  don’t  always  use  such 
long  words  as  Geo-graphy  and  Phi-los-opher ; it 
makes  my  mouth  ache  to  say  them.” 


il6  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOOD. 


While  Lilian  was  repeating  these  words,  a 
procession  of  girls  advanced  from  the  other 
side,  dressed  in  the  distinctive  costumes  of 
France,  Italy,  Hindostan,  Persia,  etc.  At  their 
head  walked  one  with  the  word  Language  em- 
broidered upon  a sash  passed  across  her  chest. 

Language . — “ While  you  learn  about  all  these 
countries,  you  will  want  to  understand  their 
speech.  These,  my  handmaidens,  will  teach  you 
to  do  so.  This  ” (drawing  forwards  a dark  girl 
in  Oriental  dress)  “ is  Hebrew , the  language  in 
which  the  Bible  was  written.  This 99  (pointing 
to  a girl  dressed  as  nearly  like  a statue  as  pos- 
sible) “is  ancient  Greek , spoken  by  the  men 
who  first  developed  art  and  literature,  and  this 99 
(indicating  another,  wrapped  in  a flowing  white 
sheet  to  represent  a Roman  toga,  and  bearing  a 
rod  surmounted  with  a gilt  eagle)  “ is  Latin , the 
tongue  of  the  brave  Roman  conquerors  of  the 
world.  These  ” (pointing  out  each  in  its  turn) 
“ are  French , German  > Spanish,  Italian , Swedish , 
Danish , Russian , and  Portuguese , all  spoken  at 
the  present  day,  and  therefore  all  called  living 
languages.” 

Great  care  had  been  taken  in  studying  up  the 


COMMENCING  AN  EDUCATION.  II 7 


national  costumes  of  these  different  countries, 
and  as  one  after  another  of  the  girls  came  for- 
ward and  then,  retiring,  formed  part  of  a pret- 
tily-arranged tableau  at  the  extremity  of  the 
platform,  the  effect  was  very  striking,  and  was 
greeted  by  a round  of  applause,  during  which 
there  came  from  the  other  side  a quaint  figure, 
dressed  like  a traditional  school-mistress,  with  a 
high  cap,  a little  shawl  pinned  across  her  bosom, 
spectacles,  and  a chart  on  which  were  printed 
in  large  letters  the  different  parts  of  speech. 
She  said,  in  measured  tones  : 

“You  cannot  study  all  these  languages,  or 
even  speak  your  own  correctly,  unless  you  make 
my  acquaintance.  I,  Gramviar , with  my  pha- 
lanx of  Nouns,  Verbs,  Adjectives,  Prepositions, 
Conjunctions,  Interjections,  Articles,  and  Par- 
ticiples, will  show  you  how  all  the  sentences 
are  put  together,  and  what  it  is  right  to  say  and 
what  not.” 

At  the  name  of  each  part  of  speech,  a very  little 
girl,  dressed  in  white  exactly  like  her  compan- 
ions, and  holding  up  a gilded  scroll  upon  which 
the  words  were  inscribed,  came  forward,  bowed, 
and  retired  to  the  other  side  of  the  platform, 


il8  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENlVOOD. 


where  a tableau,  similar  to  that  of  the  lan- 
guages, was  formed. 

And  now  came  a small  girl,  carrying  a dic- 
tionary so  big  that  her  arms  could  scarcely 
embrace  it,  and  saying,  — 

“ And  I,  Spelling , will  teach  you  to  spell  the 
words,  for  though  it  is  no  honor  to  spell  well,  it 
is  a great  disgrace  not  to  do  so.  I will  furnish 
you  with  a code  of  rules  and  a whole  library  of 
lexicons.” 

While  a laugh  at  the  big  words  in  the  little 
mouth  was  going  on,  and  the  speaker  was  drop- 
ping the  big  book  and  making  a seat  of  it, 
another  girl  came  in,  dressed  like  an  Arab, 
with  a long,  white  beard,  a white  mantle 
covered  with  black  digits,  and  a turban 
from  which  depended  a big  9 in  place  of  a 
tassel. 

The  little  scholar  gazed  at  this  figure,  and 
said,  — 

“Upon  my  word,  you’re  a comical  old  fellow! 
What  have  you  to  say  for  yourself  ? ” 

Arithmetic . — “I  come  from  the  spicy  coun- 
try of  Arabia,  though  some  people  say  I was 
born  in  Egypt,  on  the  sacred  shores  of  the  Nile, 


COMMENCING  AN  ED  DC  A TION.  1 1 9 

among  the  mummies  and  the  crocodiles.  I rule 
the  world  nowadays.  Without  my  aid  no  one 
could  make  money  or  spend  it.  I have  in  my 
service  nine  crooked  little  elves,  called  digits” 
(pointing  to  the  figures  scrawled  upon  the 
mantle),  “who  will  play  all  manner  of  curious 
pranks  for  you,  and  sometimes  make  your  head 
ache,  I am  afraid/' 

“I  shan't  have  anything  to  do  with  you  or 
your  elves,”  exclaimed  Lilian,  “ for  I have  heard 
that  — 

“ 6 Multiplication  is  vexation, 

Division  is  as  bad, 

The  rule  of  three  doth  puzzle  me, 

And  fractions  drive  me  mad.*  ” 

“Allow  me,  then,  to  introduce  you  to  my 
mathematical  cousins  ” — two  girls  dressed  like 
old  sages  in  long  black  gowns,  and  carrying 
trigonometrical  and  other  mathematical  instru- 
ments. 

“ Indeed,  you  will  have  a good  deal  to  do  with 
me,  my  brother,  and  my  cousin,”  said  one, 
while  the  other  stooped  down  and  traced  circles, 
squares,  and  triangles  on  the  carpet  with  a 
piece  of  chalk.  “ We  are  the  most  abstruse 


120  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


of  your  new  friends,  and  yet  are  of  the  most 
universal  application.  Behold  our  mysteries.” 

“And,  pray,  of  what  use  are  all  those  lines 
and  corners  ? ” 

“ They  are  of  great  use  to  me,”  said  an  ad- 
vancing figure,  a tall  girl  dressed  in  silver 
gauze,  with  a crown  of  stars  and  a sceptre 
crowned  with  a crescent  moon.  “ I,  Astronomy , 
am  the  oldest  of  the  sciences.  No  one  knows 
when  or  where  I was  born.  I walked  with 
the  patriarchs  before  the  flood.  I talked  with 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  during  the  long, 
solemn  night-time  concerning  the  wonderful 
power  of  God.  I can  tell  you  the  names  of 
all  the  stars ; can  point  out  to  you  the  Dipper 
and  Orion,  the  Great  Bear  and  the  Pleiades. 
With  the  assistance  of  these,  my  mathematical 
companions,  I will  show  you  how  to  calculate 
eclipses,  how  to  weigh  the  sun,  how  to  de- 
termine the  parallax,  how  — ” 

“ Oh,  for  mercy’s  sake,  stop ! ” exclaimed 
Lilian,  putting  her  hands  to  her  ears.  “You’re 
quite  awful ! ” and,  at  the  same  moment,  she 
turned  with  an  expression  of  delighted  surprise 
to  where  nine  girls,  as  nearly  the  same  size  as 


COMMENCING  AN  EDUCATION.  121 


possible,  dressed  in  blue  and  white  gymnasium 
suits,  stood  grouped  in  regular  order,  and  said : 
“ I lik z your  looks.  Who  are  you  ? ” 

“I  am  called,”  said  the  leader,  facing  about, 
“by  a very  long  name,  — Cal-is-then-ics ; but 
you  can’t  help  liking  me  in  spite  of  that.  I will 
teach  you  to  move  your  arms  thus  ” (raising  her 
own,  and  being  imitated  by  the  others),  “your 
head,  your  eyes,  your  feet,  your  waist,  and  your 
fingers.”  At  each  motion  the  whole  class  went 
through  an  appropriate  series  of  free  gymnastic 
exercises.  “ Under  my  direction  you  will  learn 
to  jump  and  run,  to  skip  and  climb,  while  you 
daily  grow  stronger  and  more  beautiful.” 

“Oh,  that’s  awfully  jolly!  Let’s  go  and 
have  a race  at  once.” 

“Not  quite  so  fast,”  said  a figure  advancing 
from  the  other  side  in  the  dress  of  an  Eastern 
scribe,  with  an  inkstand  fastened  in  the  belt,  an 
immense  quill  behind  its  ear,  and  a copy-book  in 
its  fingers.  “Not  quite  so  fast.  You  must  sit 
still  and  tire  your  arms  first  before  you  rest 
them ; your  limbs  must  be  a little  cramped  be- 
fore they  will  need  stretching.  Look  at  me.  I 
am  the  greatest  power  in  the  world.  Unless 


122  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


you  arc  familiar  with  me  you  can  never  in- 
fluence others,  or  communicate  to  those  at  a 
distance  the  things  which  you  have  learned. 
But  with  my  aid  you  may  speak  to  the  men  of 
unborn  ages.” 

“ And  with  my  aid,”  said  an  advancing  figure 
with  a broad  rolling  collar,  a little  flat  velvet  cap, 
and  carrying  an  easel,  a palette,  colors,  brushes, 
chalks,  pencils,  and  papers, — “ with  my  aid  you 
can  do  still  more  wonderful  things.  I will  make 
you  pictures  of  trees  and  mountains,  and  lakes 
and  rivers.  Beautiful  ladies  will  smile  at  you 
from  my  canvas,  and  here  you  may  study  the 
occurrences  of  the  past,  the  present,  and  the  fu- 
ture. I will  also  show  you  what  my  dear  sons, 
the  painters,  have  done  — • Michael  Angelo,  Ra- 
phael, Rubens,  and  all  the  rest,  till  your  heart 
will  burn  within  you,  and  you  will  say  with  one 
of  them,  ‘ I,  too,  am  a painter.'  ” 

“ I know  I shall  like  you  the  best  of  all  my 
new  friends.  I shall  never  tire  of  your  society.” 

Then  there  entered  two  girls  of  just  the  same 
size,  dressed  exactly  alike  in  white,  and  crowned 
with  wreaths  of  laurel,  and  carrying,  one  a harp, 
the  other  a lyre.  “I  hope  you  will  never  tire 


COMMENCING  AN  EDUCATION.  1 23 


of  me,  Music,”  said  one  of  them.  “ I am  every- 
where; my  voice  is  the  voice  of  everything. 
Winds,  seas,  rivers,  trees,  birds,  bees,  men, 
women,  children,  even  the  angels  in  heaven, 
are  my  retainers.  I can  enliven  you  when  sad, 
sooth  you  when  weary,  incite  you  to  noble 
deeds  or  hush  you  to  rest  upon  my  bosom.  I 
will  swell  a joyous  paean  in  your  hour  of  triumph 
and  chant  a requiem  over  your  bier." 

“ But  without  your  twin  sister,  Poetry”  said 
the  other,  “ yours  would  be  but  a ‘ song  without 
words.'  I give  expression  to  the  emotions  which 
you  create.  I have  won  more  laurels  even  than 
you,  but  together  we  will  win  a chaplet  which 
will  never  wither,  a diadem  whose  lustre  shall 
never  be  dimmed." 

“ Show  me  what  you  can  do,"  said  Lilian. 

Then  the  two  girls,  who  had  very  good  and 
very-well  trained  voices,  sang  a duet  together, 
— Poetry  taking  the  soprano  and  Music  the 
alto.  During  the  song,  a plainly-dressed  figure 
with  white  powdered  hair  advanced  to  the  front, 
unrolled  a large  chart,  and  said,  — 

“ Pause  now,  and  listen  to  me.  I am  the  voice 
of  the  past.  Men  call  me  History . I have  lived 


12 4 THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

through  all  the  dreamy  ages  of  old.  My  homes 
have  been  the  palaces  of  kings,  the  cabi- 
nets of  statesmen,  the  camp,  and  the  court.  I 
will  tell  you  stories  of  all  that  ever  happened, 
llow  Noah  and  his  family  went  into  the  ark, 
how  the  tower  of  Babel  was  built,  and  how  the 
cackling  of  geese  saved  Rome.  I will  tell  you 
about  Egypt  and  Nineveh,  Babylon  and  Greece  ; 
of  Caesar,  Alexander,  Charlemagne,  Alfred,  Lu- 
ther, Napoleon,  and  Washington.  I hold  in  my 
memory  tales  of  murder  that  will  make  your 
blood  run  cold,  and  of  generous  self-sacrifice 
which  will  fill  your  eyes  with  happy  tears.  I 
shall  talk  of  fights  and  tourneys,  knights  and 
ladies,  discoveries  and  achievements,  and  from 
them  all,  I shall  draw  — ” 

“ No,  please  don’t!  Tell  me  as  many  stories 
as  you  please,  but  don’t  draw  any  morals  ; I hate 
morals.” 

“ Then  I,”  said  another  performer,  with 
wheels,  screws,  and  other  philosophical  toys, 
“ will  give  you  facts.  I am  called  Physics , or 
Natural  Philosophy . I know  all  about  wheels, 
pulleys,  and  machinery ; about  sound  and  light 
and  water;  about  electric  telegraphs,  and  bah 


COMMENCING  AN  EDUCATION.  1 25 


loons,  telephones  and  phonographs ; why  the 
wind  blows,  why  the  kettle  boils,  why  the  cat 
licks  her  paws,  and  — ” 

“ That ’s  just  splendid.  But  don’t  tell  me  too 
much  at  once,  or  I can’t  remember  it  all.  Where 
in  the  world  did  you  come  from,  — all  covered 
with  mud  and  dirt  ? ” 

The  last  question  was  addressed  to  a figure 
completely  covered  with  a sheet,  from  two  holes 
in  which  peeped  a pair  of  sparkling  black 
eyes.  Great  clots  of  earth  and  clay  of  various 
colors  stuck  to  the  sheet,  to  the  bottom  of 
which  were  attached  fragments  of  stone  and 
metal.  One  hand,  which  protruded,  held  a 
hammer,  and  the  other  a piece  of  granite. 

“ I,”  said  the  strange  figure,  “ come  from  the 
caves  and  the  dens  of  the  earth.  I am  called 
Geology.  I can  teach  you  how  to  find  out  how 
old  the  world  is ; can  tell  you  about  the  drift 
periods  and  the  glaciers.  I am  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  ichthyosaurians,  megatheriums, 
mastodons,  and  — ” 

“ I don’t  want  to  hear  about  such  dreadful 
things.  Go  back  to  your  dens  and  caves,  and 
stay  there  till  the  world  is  a good  deal  older.” 


126  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


A white-robed  girl  now  advanced,  completely 
wrapped  in  garlands  and  floral  crowns,  and  carry- 
ing some  flowers  in  a basket  which  she  scat- 
tered on  the  floor  as  she  came. 

“ I am  sure  you  will  listen  to  me,”  she  said, 
“for  I talk  about  the  prettiest  things  in  the 
world  — ‘ God’s  smiles,’  some  people  call  them. 
I know  where  the  earliest  violets  hide  them- 
selves, what  makes  the  roses  blush  and  the 
lilies  pour  forth  their  fragrance.  I am  called 
Botany , and  where  I am  there  is  a perpetual 
spring.” 

“ What ’s  the  use  of  posies  ? ” said  a vener- 
able-looking individual,  arrayed  in  dressing-gown 
and  spectacles,  and  holding  forth  a crucible  and 
a retort.  “ Listen  to  me,  Chemistry,  and  you 
will  understand  the  construction  of  all  of  the 
wonderful  compounds  into  which  the  original  ele- 
ments are  combined.  I can  manufacture  earth, 
air,  fire,  and  water  for  you  at  will.  I light  your 
streets,  warm  your  houses,  cook  your  food,  heal 
your  sick,  and  sometimes  — poison  your  inhabi- 
tants.” 

By  this  time  the  audience  was  evidently 
getting  tired  of  this  succession  of  learned  per- 


COMMENCING  AN  EDUCATION.  12; 


sonages  with  their  big  words,  and  were  inclined 
to  sympathize  with  Lilian,  when  she  put  her 
hand  to  her  brow,  and  said  with  a weary  sigh, — 
“ Must  my  poor  little  head  be  crammed  with 
all  these  things  ? How  will  there  ever  be  time 
for  it  all  ? They  say  I am  to  be  ‘ finished  ’ at 
eighteen/' 

But  at  that  moment  three  tiny  little  girls,  of 
not  more  than  five,  entered,  each  holding  up 
before  her  an  enormous  letter,  cut  out  of  crim- 
son card-board.  The  letters  covered  their  bearers 
like  shields,  and  their  little  faces  looked  very 
quaint  as  they  peeped  through  the  openings. 

Arranging  themselves  in  a row,  they  piped 
out  in  unison,  — 

“ Don't  be  frightened.  You  are  only  expected 
to  do  one  thing  at  a time,  and  at  present  you 
have  only  to  make  oiir  acquaintance.” 

“Yours!”  (a  gesture  of  surprise  and  con- 
tempt). “ Who  are  you  ? ” 

“I  am  A.” 

“ I am  B.” 

“ I am  C ” 

“ When  you  are  sufficiently  familiar  with  us, 
you  shall  be  introduced  to  our  other  sisters.” 


12 8 THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


And  then,  as  the  laugh  which  the  comical 
little  figures  had  excited  subsided,  while  they 
still  stood  on  Lilian's  right,  Katie,  who  was 
really  the  oldest  girl  in  the  party,  and  looked 
taller  than  she  really  was  by  contrast  with  the 
Lettersy  dressed  in  pure  white,  with  gauzy  silver 
wings,  and  a crown  of  white  flowers  surmounted 
by  a silver  cross,  came  forward  upon  the  left, 
and  presenting  Lilian  with  a handsome  Bible, 
said,  — 

“ You  must  have  one  more  teacher,  dear  child, 
or  all  the  rest  will  be  of  no  avail.  I will  teach 
you  whose  child  you  are  ; why  you  were  placed 
in  this  world,  and  whither  you  are  going  when 
you  leave  it.  I will  tell  you  of  the  wonderful 
God  who  made  all  the  wonderful  things  you 
have  been  hearing  about,  and  of  the  beautiful 
home  Jesus  is  preparing  for  you  beyond  the 
stars.  I will  teach  you  to  be  good  and  happy  ; 
how  to  live  and  how  to  die.  Sisters,"  she  said, 
putting  one  hand  on  Lilian’s  shoulder,  and  with 
the  other  beckoning  to  all  the  others  to  come 
forward  and  arrange  themselves  in  a closely- 
packed  semicircular  group  around  her,  “ Music , 
Poetry , Literature , the  Sciences , and  the  Arts, 


COMMENCING  AN  EDUCATION.  I2Q 


join  with  me  in  showing  to  this  little  one  that 
religion  alone  is  a sure  foundation  on  which  to 
build  an  education  for  both  time  and  eternity.” 

There  was  a moment’s  pause,  during  which 
Katie’s  almost  angelic  appearance  and  perfect 
acting  were  greeted  with  a storm  of  applause, 
and  then  the  whole  group  united  in  singing  a 
hymn,  of  which  the  opening  lines  are  — 

u ’T  is  religion  that  can  give 

Sweetest  pleasure  while  we  live ; 

*T  is  religion  can  supply 

Sweetest  pleasure  when  we  die.” 

And  the  dialogue  was  concluded. 

After  this,  the  girls  retired  to  seats  provided 
at  the  rear  of  the  platform.  There  were  one  or 
two  single  recitations ; then  all  arose  and  sang 
together  the  popular  hymn  — 

“ Shall  we  gather  at  the  river  ?” 

Then  came  Katie  Robertson’s  long  antici- 
pated triumph,  the  recitation  of  the  poem,  com- 
posed, as  the  programme  informed  every  one  in 
the  room,  by  herself. 

The  little  poem  was  pretty,  graceful,  and  well 
rendered,  and  the  young  poet,  still  in  her  angel 


130  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD . 


dress,  felt  as  though  she  could  soar  away  above 
the  heads  of  the  multitude,  who  were  clapping 
their  hands  and  throwing  flowers  at  her  feet. 
Excitement  and  delight  made  her  eyes  brighter 
and  her  cheeks  redder  than  they  had  ever  been 
before.  She  thought  she  would  have  liked  to 
stand  there  forever,  with  that  applause  ringing 
in  her  ears.  But,  alas  ! poor  child,  in  that  tu- 
mult of  applause  there  was  no  echo  of  the  still, 
small  voice  which  was  wont  to  testify  its  appro- 
bation when  she  had  “ committed  her  way  unto 
the  Lord.”  Strangely  enough,  she  had  omitted 
to  do  this  that  night.  She  could  pray  over  her 
lessons,  and  thank  God  for  her  success  in  them, 
but  an  unerring  instinct  told  her  that  for  a suc- 
cess whose  motive  was  personal  ambition  and 
the  desire  for  praise,  it  would  be  sacrilege  to  ask 
the  help  of  Him  who  is  “ meek  and  lowly  in 
heart.”  Katie  stood  on  a perilous  height  that 
night ; but  the  Saviour,  to  whom  she  had  en- 
trusted herself,  was  watching  over  her  still,  and 
was  preparing  for  her  such  discipline  as  would 
effectually  counteract  the  exaltation  and  bring 
her  back  into  the  valley  of  humility,  where  alone 
her  peace  lay. 


BACKBITING. 


131 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

BACKBITING. 

OOR  little  Lilian ! She  had  gone 
through  her  part  bravely  and  well. 
She  had  hushed  the  nervous  tremors 
that  came  over  her  at  the  sight  of  the  great  au- 
dience before  whom  she  was  to  speak.  She  had 
kept  her  voice  up  loud  and  clear,  so  that  she 
was  heard  all  over  the  house.  She  had  not  for- 
gotten a word  of  her  “ part,”  and  had  won  spe- 
cial admiration  by  the  bright,  lively  manner  in 
which  she  uttered  the  sudden  questions  and  excla- 
mations which  it  demanded.  But  the  strain  upon 
her  delicate,  nervous  organization  was  great. 
She  grew  fearfully  tired  towards  the  close,  a 
brilliant  color  rose  to  her  cheeks,  such  as  had 
scarcely  ever  been  seen  there  before.  Her 
voice  began  to  tremble  so  towards  the  last  that 
she  could  only  control  it  by  a very  great  effort, 
and  she  was  exceedingly  glad  when  there  was 


132  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD . 

no  more  for  her  to  say.  During  Katie’s  presen# 
tation  to  her  of  the  Bible  and  the  words  which 
followed  it,  she  thought,  as  she  had  done  a hun- 
dred times  during  the  rehearsals,  of  her  unsuc- 
cessful search  for  that  religion  which  was  here 
represented  as  the  foundation  of  all  education, 
and  of  her  disappointment  in  seeking  Katie's 
help.  Her  eyes  filled  with  tears,  and  had  there 
been  any  more  for  her  to  say  she  must  inevita- 
bly have  broken  down  in  a fit  of  sobs.  She  man- 
aged, however,  to  control  herself  till  it  was  all 
over  and  the  young  performers  had  gone  into 
the  dressing-room  to  put  on  their  wraps,  and 
then  suddenly,  and  to  the  great  consternation 
of  all  the  girls,  fainted  entirely  away. 

Help  was  immediately  summoned.  Mrs. 
Cleveland  came  from  the  audience,  adminis- 
tered restoratives  to  her  little  girl,  and,  as  soon 
as  she  showed  signs  of  consciousness  and  was 
able  to  stand,  carried  her  off  in  a carriage  and 
put  her  to  bed. 

The  girls  were  awed,  and  the  glad  chatter 
which  might  be  expected  at  the  successful  ter- 
mination of  the  entertainment  was  changed 
into  low  whispers  of  fright  and  anxiety  about 


BACKBITING. 


133 


Lilian.  Katie  Robertson  found  that  in  spite  of 
her  proud  position  as  poet-laureate  of  the  occa- 
sion, and  the  delicious  applause  which  she  had 
received,  she  was  quite  forgotten  now,  and  was 
of  no  apparent  importance  among  her  compan- 
ions. 

Hardly  knowing  why,  she  was  disappointed, 
and  went  to  bed  with  a strong  feeling  of  the 
utter  unsatisfactoriness  of  success  in  earthly 
things,  — a lesson  we  all  have  to  learn,  often 
painfully  and  again  and  again,  until  we  have 
really  learned  not  to  set  our  affections  on  things 
which  are  below,  but  on  those  which  are  endur- 
ing, at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

To  do  Katie  justice,  however,  the  depression 
of  her  spirits  was  owing  in  part  to  the  fatigue  and 
the  reaction  from  so  much  excitement,  and  in 
part  to  her  anxiety  about  Lilian,  of  whom,  as  her 
only  friend,  she  had  become  very  fond. 

“ Do  you  think  Lily  is  going  to  be  very 
sick?”  said  she  to  Bertie,  as  the  room-mates  un- 
dressed that  night  ? ” 

“ No,  I guess  not ; she  ’s  always  sick  or  sham- 
ming. Sophie  says  she  does  it  so  as  to  get 
attention  and  consequence  at  home.” 


134  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENJVOOD . 


“ How  can  Sophie  be  so  unkind  ? I think 
Lily  ’s  very  nice  ; but  she  looks  pale  and  miser- 
able, and  so  unhappy/’ 

“Well,  may  be  she  is  nice,  but  you  see  I’ve 
always  gone  with  Sophie.  She  ’s  just  my  age, 
and  I don’t  know  much  about  Lil ; that ’s 
the  truth.” 

“Bertie, do  you  like  Sophronia?” 

“ Like  her  ? No,  not  as  I like  you  and  some 
girls;  but  she’s  my  cousin,  you  know,  and  I ’ve 
got  to  go  with  her.” 

“Well,  I don’t  like  her.  I don’t  think  she  is  a 
good  girl,  and  I don’t  think  it ’s  good  for  you  to 
be  with  her.  You  ’re  not  half  so  nice  as  you  were 
at  Squantown.  I don’t  think  Amelia  Bascom 
does  you  any  good,  either.  Bertie,  now  that 
you  ’re  a church  member  you  ought  to  be  more 
careful  about  choosing  your  friends.” 

“I  don’t  know  that  it’s  any  of  your  business, 
said  Bertie,  in  a tone  of  great  offence.  “ I should 
think  I had  a right  to  know  my  own  cousin  ; and 
as  to  Amelia,  she ’s  a nicer  girl  than  you  are,  if 
you  are  so  jealous  of  her.” 

Now  Bertie  did  not  at  all  intend  to  make 
this  unpleasant  speech  a moment  before  she 


BACKBITING. 


135 


made  ic.  She  n as  very  warmly  attached  to 
Katie,  and  liked  her  a great  deal  better  than  any 
other  girl  in  the  school.  She  was  clear-sighted 
enough  to  see  that  Sophronia  was  worldly,  cal- 
culating, and  devoid  of  all  real  religious  prin- 
ciple and  feeling,  and  she  loathed  her  bondage 
to  Amelia ; but  she  resented  Katie’s  tone  of 
superiority,  all  the  more  because  she  felt  that 
her  friend  was  consistently  living  up  to  the  re- 
ligion she  professed,  while  she  was  being  turned 
about  by  every  chance  influence  that  surrounded 
her. 

Katie  had  discharged  what  she  had  long  felt 
to  be  a duty.  She  had  watched  the  influence  of 
both  Sophronia  and  Amelia  upon  her  compan- 
ion, and  saw  that  they  were  leading  her  away 
from  living  so  as  to  ornament  her  profession. 
It  was  only  the  part  of  Christian  faithfulness  to 
warn  her  friend  of  the  dangers  into  which  she 
was  running,  and  help  her  back  into  the  right 
path.  But  she  had  chosen  a wrong  time,  and 
spoken  in  a wrong  spirit.  It  is  only  when  we 
“ speak  the  truth  in  love  ” that  it  will  do  any 
good  to  those  to  whom  we  speak  it,  and  we  shall 
never  help  others  to  see  the  wrong  in  them- 


136  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD . 

selves  while  we  show  them  how  much  better 
we  consider  ourselves.  It  is  only  as  fellow-sin- 
ners that  we  can  ever  point  others  to  the  Lamb 
of  God  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world. 

To-night  Katie  Robertson  stood  on  a pinnacle 
of  self-appreciation.  Her  triumph  had  been 
complete,  and  the  tempter,  taking  advantage  of 
the  sense  of  self-complacency  which  possessed 
her,  led  her  to  speak  to  Bertie  in  the  manner  of 
a superior  rather  than  a friend.  Of  course  the 
latter,  whose  conscience  made  her  very  uncom- 
fortable of  late,  resented  this,  and  Katie's  at- 
tempt at  faithfulness  did  her  friend  more  harm 
than  good. 

Lilian  was  not  at  school  the  next  day,  nor  the 
next,  and  it  soon  became  known  that  the  poor 
child  was  very  ill.  A low,  nervous  fever  the 
doctor  called  it.  Not  necessarily  dangerous  as 
yet,  but  requiring  great  care  and  complete  free- 
dom from  excitement.  He  advised  that,  even 
when  his  patient  had  rallied  sufficiently  to  leave 
her  bed,  she  should  be  taken  from  school  for 
the  present  ; and  in  fact  she  did  not  again  take 
her  place  among  her  companions  till  school 
opened  again  the  next  autumn. 


BACKBITING. 


*37 


Of  course  Katie  saw  little  of  her  now.  Occa- 
sionally, as  we  have  said,  when  the  pressure  of 
other  duties  would  allow,  she  made  a little  visit 
at  the  grocer’s,  and  once  or  twice  she  took  Lil- 
ian out  for  a short  walk,  but  the  conversation 
was  always  general.  Much  as  the  latter  thought 
about  her  old  desire  to  be  a Christian,  and  her 
many  failures  in  trying  to  be  one,  she  could 
somehow  never  sufficiently  overcome  her  timid- 
ity to  again  open  the  subject ; and  Katie,  not 
having  the  least  idea  what  was  in  her  compan- 
ion’s mind,  never  thought  of  introducing  it. 

Thus  easily  may  we  throw  away  an  oppor- 
tunity of  working  for  God,  and  souls  which,  once 
passed  by,  will  never  come  to  us  again.  The 
blessed  Lord,  who  never  allows  a sincere  desire 
for  Him  and  his  service  to  go  unanswered, 
will  in  his  own  way  answer  Lilian’s,  but  the 
joy  and  honor  of  being  a co-worker  with  Him 
will  be  given  into  other  hands  than  Katie’s. 

But  this  is  looking  forward.  It  was  the 
morning  after  the  “ entertainment.”  The  girls 
who  had  taken  part  in  it  were  tired  and,  in 
some  cases,  cross.  They  had  been  up  later 
than  their  usual  bed  hour.  The  preparation  of 


138  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

their  lessons  had  been  somewhat  neglected,  and 
more  bad  marks  than  usual  were  placed  against 
their  names.  Several  absences  occurred,  which, 
of  course,  more  or  less  deranged  the  classes,  and 
a good  many  “ tardys  ” had  to  be  reported  in 
the  chapel. 

At  recess  Katie  stood  leaning  listlessly  against 
the  railing  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs.  She  had 
no  companion,  as  Lilian  was  not  there.  More 
than  one  girl  who  would  have  been  proud  to  be 
known  as  the  friend  of  the  successful  poet  of  the 
night  before  were  deterred  from  offering  their 
friendship  by  the  general  impression  that  Katie 
Robertson  was  “ too  proud  ” to  desire  to  have 
friends.  Katie  was  pale  and  languid.  She  was 
feeling  keenly  the  reaction  from  last  night’s 
excitement.  Her  lessons  had  seemed  very  tame 
this  morning.  They  had  lost  their  fascination, 
and  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  she 
managed  to  keep  her  place  in  the  classes,  and 
to  win  her  usually  correct  marks.  The  object 
for  which  she  had  been  striving  all  these  weeks 
had  been  attained,  and  now  there  seemed 
nothing  more  to  work  for.  She  felt  lonely,  too. 
Lilian  was  sick  and  away.  She  had  alienated 


BACKBITING. 


139 


Bertie  more  than  ever,  for  this  morning  that  in- 
dignant young  lady  had  declined  to  speak  to 
her  except  in  the  briefest  monosyllables.  Life 
at  school  was  not  such  a pleasant  thing,  after 
all. 

At  this  moment  she  heard  her  name  spoken 
by  one  of  a group  of  girls  whom  she  had  before 
noticed  as  huddled  in  the  undignified  manner 
dear  to  the  hearts  of  school-girls  under  the 
stairs.  She  could  not  see  who  they  were,  and 
from  the  position  in  which  she  stood,  she  was 
entirely  hidden  from  their  sight.  It  would 
have  been  more  honorable  of  course  for  her  to 
have  gone  away,  but  she  never  thought  of  that, 
so  interested  was  she  in  the  conversation. 

“Yes,  she  did  it  splendidly,"  said  one; 
“there's  no  doubt  about  that.  But  who  cares? 
I'd  rather  be  good-natured  and  jolly  than  smart, 
any  day." 

“ I don't  think  Katie  Robertson 's  so  awful 
smart,"  said  another  voice.  “ She  gets  good 
marks,  of  course,  but  then  she 's  the  pet  of  the 
teachers  and  they  can  mark  her  as  they  choose. 
I could  get  good  marks,  too,  if  I cared  to  take 
the  trouble." 


HO  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

There  was  a general  laugh  at  this,  for  the 
speaker  was  known  as  a great  dunce,  against 
whom  her  companions  had  a joke  that  once 
when  her  teacher  had  said  to  her,  “ Carrie,  what 
do  you  know  ? ” — meaning  the  special  lesson 
for  the  day  — she  had  answered,  with  sweet 
unconsciousness,  “ I don’t  know  anything,  Miss 
Peck.” 

“ May  be  you  could  write  such  a poem  as 
that,”  said  Bertie,  who,  though  offended  with 
her  friend,  still  felt  bound  to  stand  up  for  her. 

“I  could  get  somebody  to  help  me,  as  no 
doubt  she  does.  Those  saints  are  always  as 
sly  as  anything.” 

“ I guess  Katie ’s  a good  girl,”  said  another 
voice ; “ she ’s  a member  of  the  church,  you 
know.” 

“ I ’d  rather  be  bad  than  stuck  up.  Who  is 
Katie  Robertson,  anyway  ? ” 

“ What  is  she?”  chimed  in  a voice  which 
Katie  knew  to  be  that  of  a boarder  who  was 
always  elegantly  dressed,  and  had  as  much 
money  to  spend  or  throw  away  as  she  chose. 
“ She  gives  herself  great  airs,  and  the  teachers 
make  a great  fuss  over  her,  but  she  seems  as 


BACKBITING . 


141 

poor  as  anything.  Just  see  how  countrified  her 
dresses  are.” 

“ She  is  sent  to  school  by  charity,  and  is  to  be 
a teacher,  I believe,”  said  Sophronia’s  measured 
tones.  She  was  beginning  to  get  anxious  at 
the  direction  the  conversation  was  taking. 

“ Is  that  all  there  is  about  it  ? ” said  another 
girl.  “ I imagined  from  the  mysterious  looks  I 
have  seen  and  words  I have  heard  that  there 
was  something  positively  disgraceful  about  the 
girl.” 

“So  there  is,”  said  Amelia  Bascom,  fixing 
her  eyes  upon  Bertie  and  enjoying  her  sense 
of  power  as  she  saw  the  color  flash  up  to  the 
roots  of  her  satellite's  hair.  “ Something  very 
disgraceful.  The  paragon  is  a common  factory 
girl:  and  here  she  is  set  up  as  not  only  our 
equal,  but  our  superior.  It ’s  a real  shame  ! ” 

“ So  it  is,”  said  one  or  two  voices. 

“ Are  you  sure  it ’s  true  ? ” said  Sophronia. 

“ Yes,  I ’m  quite  sure.  I heard  her  say  so;  I 
thought  it  was  to  you.  At  any  rate,  Bertie 
Sanderson  knows  all  about  it.  They  're  from  the 
same  place.” 

Katie  listened  breathlessly  to  hear  what  her 


142  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

companion,  whom  she  had  forgiven  so  much, 
would  say.  It  could  not  be  that  she  would  leave 
her  to  bear  what  the  girls  so  evidently  considered 
intense  disgrace  alone.  She  knew  she  would 
have  stood  up  for  Bertie.  She  could  not  forget 
how  she  had  once  risked  her  life  for  her  friend, 
and  she  expected  to  hear  some  generous  re- 
sponse to  this  appeal. 

But  she  was  disappointed.  Bertie  was  be- 
tween two  fires,  and  her  nature  was  not  suffi- 
ciently noble  to  enable  her  to  choose  the  straight 
path,  as  we  know  she  had  ceased  to  ask  the 
present  help  of  her  all-powerful  Saviour  in  every 
moment  of  temptation.  On  the  one  side  stood 
Sophronia  and  her  commands  and  threats,  on 
the  other  Amelia,  to  whom  she  had  admitted  the 
facts  concerning  Katie  Robertson,  while  tacitly 
denying  those  concerning  herself,  and  in  front 
stood  all  the  group  of  inquisitive  girls,  full  of  the 
importance  of  this  great  secret,  and  anxious  to 
hear  as  much  about  it  as  possible. 

“ Is  it  really  so,  Bertie  ? ” said  one  of  them. 

“Yes!”  answered  she.  “Katie  worked  in 
the  factory  at  Squantown  of  which  my  father 
was  overseer.  They  were  all  very  poor,  and 


BACKBITING. 


143 


papa  was  very  kind  to  them.  An  uncle,  I be- 
lieve, sends  her  to  school.  My  mother  was  very 
angry  when  she  heard  that  I was  put  to  room 
with  her.  ” 

“ Poor  child,’’  said  the  silly  rich  girl.  “ I ’m 
really  sorry  for  you.” 

Amelia  said  nothing,  only  gave  Bertie  a very 
significant  look,  but  Sophronia  breathed  a sigh 
of  relief. 

Poor  Katie  could  stay  to  hear  no  more.  A 
multitude  of  conflicting  emotions  almost  choked 
her  as,  blinded  with  tears,  she  rushed  out  of  the 
Institute  building,  across  the  garden,  into  the 
boarding-house,  and  up  to  her  own  room,  where, 
throwing  herself  upon  the  bed,  she  gave  way  to 
the  wildest  torrent  of  passionate  emotion. 

This,  then,  was  how  she  was  regarded  by  her 
school-fellows  — she,  the  perfect  scholar,  the 
obeyer  of  rules,  the  class-poet,  the  church- 
member!  She  was  “ stuck  up,”  proud,  dishon- 
est, in  their  estimation  ; she  was  looked  down 
upon  because  she  was  poor,  and  despised  be- 
cause she  had  once  helped  her  mother  by  earn- 
ing an  honorable  independence.  Had  Katie 
been  a little  less  excited,  or  perhaps  a little 


144  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

older,  she  might  have  seen  that  it  made  very 
little  difference  what  a few  idle  school-girls,  ac- 
tuated largely  by  jealousy,  thought  of  her,  since 
she  had  the  teachers  and  her  own  conscience  on 
her  side.  She  would  have  seen,  moreover,  that 
the  opinion  of  these  same  little  girls  did  not,  in 
the  least,  alter  the  real  value  of  the  work  she 
had  done,  or  the  position  she  had  held.  But 
she  was  not  very  old  after  all,  and  this  world  of 
school-girls  was  the  world  in  which  she  lived, 
and  its  opinion  was  as  valuable  to  her  as  is  the 
opinion  of  the  circles  to  the  wisest  and  best 
of  us,  by  which  we  are  surrounded.  We  are 
all  very  apt  to  judge  of  things  by  the  standard 
of  public  opinion  rather  than  to  seek  simply  to 
know  how  they  appear  in  the  sight  of  God. 

But  the  hardest  part  of  all  was  Bertie’s  de- 
fection. She  had  not  said  an  untrue  word,  but 
she  had  sided  with  her  enemies,  and  had  made 
it  seem  as  though  she  herself  stood  in  a much 
higher  position  at  home,  and  was  positively  dis- 
graced by  her  own  companionship.  Would 
those  girls  have  petted  and  noticed  Bertie  so  if 
some  one  had  told  them  that  she,  too,  was  “ a 
factory  girl  ? ” Of  course  not,  and  it  was  Bertie 


BACKBITING. 


T45 


and  not  herself  who  was  appearing  under  false 
pretences,  — Bertie,  who  had  so  injured  her 
once  before,  whom  she  had  since  done  so  much 
to  befriend.  She  would  never  have  anything  to 
do  with  her  false  friend,  never  speak  to  her 
again  if  they  did  room  together ; and  at  the 
remembrance  of  what  Bertie  had  said  upon 
that  subject  her  tears  flowed  afresh.  Anger 
against  Bertie  did  not  do  much  to  calm  her 
spirits,  and  she  had  cried  and  sobbed  herself 
into  such  a state  by  the  time  the  messenger 
sent  by  her  department  teacher  to  look  her  up, 
that  it  was  with  perfect  truthfulness  she  re- 
turned for  answer,  — 

“ I have  such  a headache  I can't  see.  Please 
leave  me  alone,  and  ask  Miss  Roe  to  excuse  me 
for  the  afternoon." 

“ Poor  child,"  said  the  teacher,  loud  enough 
for  all  the  class  to  hear,  “ she  is  quite  tired  out 
with  her  exertions  last  night,  and  no  wonder. 
I 'll  give  her  a chance  to  make  up  her  marks 
to-morrow,  — next  young  lady,"  and  the  recita- 
tion went  on,  while  there  were  one  or  two  more 
whispered  remarks  about  the  “pet’s"  immu- 
nities. 


146  THREE  FEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


If  Katie  could  only  have  maintained  her  posi 
tion  by  the  stairs  a few  minutes  longer  she 
would  not  have  been  so  utterly  inconsolable. 
Helen  Lome  had  all  this  time  been  walking  up 
and  down  the  hall  with  her  arm  round  the  waist 
of  a companion  — a position  which  many  an- 
other girl  would  have  been  glad  to  occupy.  On 
being  left  alone,  in  answer  to  a signal  of  invita- 
tion from  Sophronia,  she  joined  the  group  under 
the  stairs  just  in  time  to  hear  the  latter  part  of 
the  conversation.  With  a sudden  flash  of  right- 
eous indignation  which  made  her  supremely 
beautiful,  she  said,  — 

“ Girls,  I am  ashamed  of  you.  How  do  you  dare 
to  discuss  any  one  behind  her  back  this  way ! 
Miss  Robertson  has  been  leaning  against  the 
post  there,  no  doubt  hearing  every  word  you 
said.  She’s  gone  now,”  she  added,  seeing  the 
blank  looks,  “ but  I am  sure  by  the  expression 
of  her  face  she  has  heard  you.” 

“ She  ’s  a mean  sneak  to  listen,”  said  one. 

“ She  could  n’t  help  herself.  I heard  you  all 
the  time  I was  walking  out  there,  only  I was  so 
busy  talking  I did  not  attend  to  what  you 
were  saying.” 


BACKBITING . 


147 


“ Well,  we  did  not  say  anything  but  the 
truth,”  said  Bertie  sulkily,  while  Sophronia  was 
very  nervous  at  the  thought  of  having  offended 
Helen  Lome.  “ Katie  did  work  for  her  living 
in  the  paper  mill  at  Squantown.” 

“ And  she  acts  as  though  she  was  a princess,” 
said  another  of  the  girls. 

“ And  where ’s  the  harm  in  working  for  a 
living  ? ” said  Helen.  “ Don’t  all  your  fathers  do 
it?  Mine  does.  I only  wish  I knew  how  to 
earn  some  money,  so  it  would  be  really  my  own 
to  give  away  or  do  what  I chose  with.  I think 
it ’s  noble  to  work  and  be  independent.” 

“ But  she  need  n’t  be  so  stuck  up,”  said  an- 
other, apologetically  ; “ she  need  n't  set  herself 
above  the  rest  of  us.” 

“ I don’t  believe  she  does.  I don’t  know  her 
much,  though  I mean  to,  now ; but  I do  know 
that  not  one  of  us  could  write  and  recite  that 
poem  as  Katie  Robertson  did  last  night.  My 
mother  thought  it  was  wonderful,  and  I heard  a 
lady  say  it  was  perfectly  angelic.” 

“She  always  knows  her  lessons,  too,”  said 
one  of  the  group  coming  round  to  the  winning 
side. 


148  THREE  TEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

“And  she’s  real  good  about  helping  with 
your  sums,”  said  another  doubtfully. 

“ Well,  all  I have  to  say  is  I ’in  ashamed  of 
you,”  said  the  indignant  little  beauty,  walking 
away  at  the  signal  for  the  close  of  recess. 
“ How  mad  I was,”  she  said  to  herself,  as  her 
flaming  cheeks  cooled  off  a little ; “ but  I do 
hate  backbiters  so.  If  I don’t  like  people  I ’ll 
tell  them  so  to  their  faces.  I mean  to  know 
this  Katie  and  be  kind  to  her  any  way.  She  was 
awfully  cut  up,  I saw  it  in  her  face  — her  own 
particular  friend  and  room-mate  against  her,  too. 
How  she  must  have  felt  it ! I never  did  like  that 
Sophronia  Cleveland.  I don’t  see  how  I ever 
came  to  let  her  walk  with  me  ; I won’t  again.” 


HELEN  LORNE . 


149 


CHAPTER  IX. 

HELEN  LORNE. 


AMMA,”  said  Helen  Lome,  “ would  you 
mind  it  if  I was  acquainted  with  a fac- 
tory girl  ? ” 

Mrs.  Lome  was,  as  may  be  supposed,  slightly 
astonished  at  the  abrupt  question.  She  was 
leaning  back  in  a luxurious  easy  chair,  in  the 
beautifully  furnished  sitting-room  of  her  elegant 
house,  watching  with  her  usual  glad  impatience 
for  her  daughter’s  daily  return  from  school,  and 
thinking  with  a mother’s  overwhelming  anxiety 
of  that  daughter’s  future. 

But  indeed  one  might  well  dismiss  all  anxiety 
concerning  the  future  of  such  a girl  as  Helen 
Lome.  She  was  one  of  those  few  children, — 
there  might  be  more  of  them  if  parents  prayed 
more  in  faith,  and  acted  in  better  accordance 
with  their  prayers,  — who  seem  to  be  Christians 
with  the  earliest  dawn  of  intelligence. 


150  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENW00D. 

No  one  could  remember  the  time  “ when  to 
please  Jesus  ” did  not  seem  the  highest  motive 
of  action  known  to  the  child ; when,  after  any 
little  exhibition  of  temper  or  naughtiness,  the 
thought  of  having  “ grieved  Jesus/’  properly  pre- 
sented, would  fail  to  bring  the  little  maiden  to 
tears  of  contrition  and  a determination  to  “ be 
good.” 

She  always  liked  to  accompany  her  mother  to 
church,  and  at  a very  early  age,  at  her  own  re- 
quest, gave  herself  publicly  to  Christ,  and  had 
since  so  lived  as  to  bring  no  dishonor  upon  her 
profession.  Yet  Helen  was  not  priggish,  as 
people  are  apt  to  consider  religious  children.  She 
was  neither  morose  nor  self-conceited.  No  girl 
of  her  acquaintance  could  more  enjoy  a good 
romping  play  when  she  was  small,  nor,  as  she 
grew  older,  find  such  intense  pleasure  in  all 
beautiful  things  in  art  or  nature.  Her  faults 
were  all  those  of  a generous  temperament.  She 
would  flash  into  sudden  anger  at  an  act  of  in- 
justice or  cruelty,  and  repent  at  once  of  the 
sharp  words  she  had  spoken,  begging  immedi- 
ate forgiveness  and  so  overwhelming  the  person 
with  caresses,  to  whom  she  had  spoken  them* 


HELEN  LORNE, 


IS  I 

that  he  or  she  was  at  once  shamed  into  sorrow 
for  the  act. 

She  had  been  known  to  pick  up  a stray  lame 
kitten  covered  with  mud,  and,  wrapping  it  in  her 
silk  dress,  bring  it  in  and  nurse  it  into  health. 
The  same  thing  happened  to  a half-starved 
puppy  and  to  a broken-winged  bird,  till  Helen's 
friends  accused  her  of  keeping  a hospital  for 
unfortunate  animals. 

When  she  was  four  years  old,  she  greatly  em- 
barrassed her  mother  by  lugging  in  from  the 
rain  a little  beggar  of  about  her  own  size,  and 
insisting  that  she  should  be  put  into  her  own 
bed  and  sit  at  table  with  her,  saying  in  answer 
to  all  remonstrances,  — 

“ She  's  dust  as  dood  as  I am.  Dod  made  her, 
did  n't  he  ? " 

In  fact,  one  of  the  most  difficult  things  Mrs. 
Lome  had  been  called  upon  to  do  was  to  show 
her  child  the  difference  that  exists,  in  spite  of 
all  our  theories,  between  those  to  whom  genera- 
tions of  generous  living  and  education  have 
brought  refinement  and  culture,  and  those  who, 
still  surrounded  by  vice  and  ignorance,  are  not 
suitable  companions  for  a delicate  young  lady. 


1 5*  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

It  was,  perhaps,  a remembrance  of  these  teach- 
ings that  moulded  the  question  with  which  this 
chapter  opens. 

Helen  Lome  was  a very  brilliant  scholar. 
Her  lessons  seemed  to  present  no  difficulties  to 
her,  and,  though  she  was  never  known  to  fail  in 
a recitation,  she  always  had  plenty  of  time  for 
out-of-door  exercise  and  for  kindness  and  socia- 
bility. When  it  is  added  to  all  this  that  the 
young  girl  was  extremely  beautiful  and  that  her 
father  was  known  to  be  one  of  the  richest  mer- 
chants in  the  city,  and  that  she  was  generous, 
even  to  lavishness,  in  giving  and  sharing  the 
many  nice  things  with  which  she  was  so  amply 
provided,  it  is  no  wonder  that  Helen  Lome 
was  universally  popular,  alike  with  teachers, 
pupils,  and  outside  friends. 

To  her  mother  she  was  the  most  precious 
thing  in  the  whole  world.  She  could  scarcely 
bear  to  part  with  her  darling,  even  for  an  hour, 
but  being  a wise,  as  well  as  an  affectionate, 
mother,  she  sent  her  to  school  instead  of  educat- 
ing her  herself,  — which  she  was  well  qualified 
to  do,  — that  she  might  have  the  advantages  of 
association  with  other  girls,  and  not  become 


HELEN  LORNE. 


*53 


selfish  and  consequential,  as  an  only  child  is  apt 
to  do.  She  watched  very  carefully,  however,  over 
the  acquaintances  and  intimates  of  her  daughter, 
which  was  the  cause  of  Helen’s  words  when 
she  came  home  from  school  to-day. 

“ I don’t  quite  understand  you,  Helen,”  she 
said.  “You  are  old  enough  now,  surely,  to 
choose  your  own  associates.  I don’t  see  how 
you  are  to  come  in  contact  with  factory  girls, 
and  I thought  you  had  too  much  good  sense  to 
judge  of  any  one  by  her  occupation.” 

“ Of  course  I have,  and  Katie ’s  a perfect 
lady,  and  as  lovely  and  good  as  she  can  be. 
She  ’s  a Christian,  too ; but  all  the  girls  are 
down  upon  her  because  she  is  or  was  a factory 
girl ; and  I did  n’t  know  how  you  might  feel 
about  it.” 

“ Sit  down,  dear,  and  tell  me  who  and  what 
* Katie  ’ is,  and  then  perhaps  I can  understand 
you  better.  I have  already  said  that  no  occupa- 
pation  makes  a person  unfit  for  companionship, 
only  the  factory  girls  I have  known  are  apt  to 
be  vulgar  and  pretentious,  and  I would  n’t  like 
my  Helen  to  be  intimate  with  vulgar  and  pre- 
tentious people,  no  matter  what  grade  of  society 
they  occupied” 


154  THREE  FEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

“Of  course  not ; but,  mamma,  Katie  Robert 
son  was  ‘ the  angel  ' at  the  entertainment  last 
night.” 

“ Is  it  possible  ? Why,  she  is  the  loveliest, 
most  refined  little  girl  I almost  ever  saw.  I am 
sure,  if  one  may  judge  from  appearances,  there 
can  be  no  evil  about  her.” 

Then  Helen  told  her  mother  what  little  she 
knew  about  Katie,  which  really  was  very  little, 
as  the  two  girls  had  never  been  in  any  of  the 
same  classes,  and  ended  by  a detailed  account 
of  the  conversation  under  the  stairs,  ending 
with  the  words,  — 

“ Was  n't  it  mean,  mamma  ? ” 

“Yes,  it  was  very  unkind,  and  I don't  wonder 
my  generous  little  girl  wants  to  befriend  one 
who  is  so  badly  treated.  Can  I help  about  it  ? ” 
“ Of  course  you  can,  you  kind,  thoughtful 
mamma ! I want  to  invite  her  here  to  spend 
Sunday.  She  is  at  the  boarding-house,  you 
know,  and  all  the  girls  say  it’s  so  lonely  there 
on  Sunday  that  they  get  away  if  they  possibly 
can.  Katie's  room-mate,  too,  Bertie  Sanderson, 
was  one  of  the  girls  who  talked  against  her, 
and  it  must  be  hateful  to  be  with  her  now. 


HELEN  LORNE . 


155 


But  that  is  n’t  quite  all  ” (and  Helen  hesi- 
tated as  though  not  quite  sure  her  mother 
would  understand  what  she  was  going  to  say), 
“ I don’t  mean  that  we  are  better  than  other 
people,  but,  you  know,  we  have  more  money 
and  handsomer  things  than  some  of  the  girls’ 
families,  and  I thought,  perhaps,  if  we  took  up 
Katie,  and  invited  her  here,  and  showed  that 
we  did  n’t  mind  her  having  been  a factory  girl, 
the  others  would  n’t  consider  it  a disgrace  and 
would  be  kinder  to  her.  I don’t  know  if  you 
quite  understand  me.” 

“ Yes,  I think  I do,”  said  her  mother,  smiling 
at  Helen’s  confusion.  “You  mean  that  our 
handsome  house  and  our  carriage  and  our  posi- 
tion in  society  are  talents  which  we  hold  in 
trust  from  the  Lord,  and  that  when  we  use 
them  to  make  other  people  either  happier  or 
better,  we  are  doing  with  them  just  what  He 
would  have  us  do,  and  by  so  much  glorifying 
Him.” 

“ Thank  you,  mamma ; you  always  understand, 
and  you  can  say  it  so  much  better  than  any  one 
else.” 

“ I want  you  to  think  in  that  way  of  every- 


1 5©  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

thing  the  Lord  has  given  you,  my  child.  You 
are  quite  old  enough  to  know  how  pretty  you 
are  ; plenty  of  people  would  tell  you  so  if  your 
mother  did  not.  Whenever  you  look  in  the 
glass  do  it  with  a thankful  heart,  and  ask  your 
dear  Saviour  to  help  you  so  to  use  your  beautiful 
gift  as  in  some  way  to  glorify  Him  — so  with  your 
talents,  your  education,  your  music  — all  that 
you  have  and  are.  They  are  all  God's  gifts  ; lay 
them  daily  upon  his  altar,  glad  that  you  have 
something  so  precious  to  give  back  to  Him  who 
has  given  you  so  much.” 

Helen  had  already  dimly  caught  sight  of  this 
idea,  but  now  that  her  mother  put  it  so  plainly 
before  her  she  saw  at  once  how  many  opportuni- 
ties of  doing  good  it  would  give  her,  and  she 
rejoiced  in  the  thought. 

The  next  day  Katie  Robertson,  who  had  re- 
covered her  self-possession  sufficiently  to  resume 
her  place  in  school,  was  surprised,  at  recess, 
to  find  Helen  Lome’s  arm  thrown  around  her 
waist  and  to  receive  the  usual  school-girl  invi- 
tation, — 

“Come,  let  ’s  walk.” 

So  embittered  were  poor  Katie's  feelings  to- 


HELEN  LORNE. 


157 


wards  everybody  upon  this  special  morning, 
that  had  it  been  any  one  else  she  would  have 
declined  the  invitation  ; but  she  had  looked  very 
longingly  from  day  to  day  at  Helen  Lome.  She 
admired  her  from  a distance,  and  greatly  desired 
to  be  intimate  with  her,  as  the  other  girls  were. 
To  her,  Helen  was  the  loveliest  creature  in  the 
world,  and  it  was  very  soothing  to  her  hurt 
feelings,  as  Helen  meant  it  should  be,  to  receive 
this  invitation. 

Helen  talked  pleasantly  about  one  or  two 
subjects,  and  then  said,  — 

“ Miss  Robertson,  — or  I may  call  you  Katie, 
may  I not  ? — my  mother  told  me  to  ask  if  you 
would  not  like  to  come  and  spend  Sunday  with 
us  this  week  ?” 

For  a moment  Katie,  remembering  her  ex- 
perience at  the  Clevelands,  and  being  some- 
what taken  by  surprise,  did  not  know  what  to 
answer,  and  Helen,  seeing  her  hesitation, 
said,  — 

“ There  will  be  no  one  else.  We  don’t  have 
Sunday  company ; but  I thought  it  might  be 
pleasanter  for  you  than  staying  at  the  boarding- 
house. Mamma  says  if  Miss  Perry  will  give  you 


158  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


permission  she  will  come  for  you  in  the  carriage 
on  Saturday  afternoon,  and  send  you  hack  in 
time  for  school  on  Monday  morning.  It  won’t 
seem  so  much  like  Sunday  visiting  that  way, 
you  know.” 

Katie  was  delighted  with  this  invitation.  She 
had  heard  Sophronia  and  Bertie  talk  about  the 
Lornes’  elegant  house,  which  was  in  the  out- 
skirts of  the  city,  and  wish  that  in  some  way 
they  could  manage  to  see  its  beautiful  conser- 
vatories and  picture-galleries,  as  well  as  the 
elegant  furniture  and  other  glories  which  were 
supposed  to  be  within  the  walls,  and  Helen 
was  answered  with  the  first  smile  which  had 
crossed  the  successful  poet’s  face  since  the 
night  of  her  great  triumph.  She  ran  over  to 
the  boarding-house  to  ask  Miss  Perry’s  permis- 
sion, — a mere  form,  since,  as  everybody  knew, 
that  lady  was  only  too  glad  to  get  rid  of  as 
many  of  her  boarders  as  possible  on  Sunday, 
and  came  back  to  Helen  just  in  time  to  accept 
the  invitation  before  the  close  of  recess. 

“ I ’m  very  glad,”  said  Helen ; and  she  was 
more  glad  in  doing  a kindness  to  Katie  than 
she  would  have  been  at  receiving  one  herself. 


HELEN  LOENE. 


iS9 


“ Mamma  and  I will  call  at  about  three  o’clock 
to-morrow.  Your  lessons  will  be  finished  then  ? ” 
Katie  nodded.  “ And  we  shall  have  time  for  a 
pleasant  drive  in  the  park  before  dark.  You 
haven’t  seen  our  beautiful  park  yet,  have  you? 
It’s  looking  lovely  now ; the  grass  is  just  turning 
green,  and  the  buds  on  the  trees  are  swelling. 
Spring  is  beginning  to  make  itself  felt  and 
seen.” 

“No,  I haven’t  seen  it  ; I shall  be  delighted. 
How  kind  your  mother  is ! ” 

“/think  so,”  said  Helen,  with  a glad  warmth 
of  affection,  which  it  was  very  pretty  to  see. 
“We  must  go  ; just  look  at  the  clock.  Be  sure 
you  *re  ready  at  three  ; don’t  forget.” 

There  was  no  danger  of  Katie’s  forgetting. 
The  prospect  opened  to  her  was  almost  like  that 
into  fairy-land,  and  she  went  about  her  after- 
noon recitations  and  duties  almost  happy. 

Not  quite,  however.  No  one  can  be  abso- 
lutely happy  while  cherishing  any  ill-feeling 
against  another ; and  our  young  friend  was 
very  sore  towards  Bertie,  Sophronia,  and  all 
their  “set.”  She  had  ample  cause  to  be,  she 
argued  to  herself,  and  this  was  quite  true  ; but 


160  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

a Christian  girl  may  not  regulate  her  feelings 
towards  others  by  their  unkindness  towards  her, 
or  the  provocations  they  have  given  her.  Our 
Master  left  us  a better  rule  of  life  than  that.  We 
are  to  be  kind  and  forgiving,  to  love  our  ene- 
mies, to  bless  them  that  hate  and  persecute  us, 
to  ‘‘pray  for  them  who  despitefully  use  us.” 
Katie  well  understood  this  rule,  and  had  so 
successfully  practised  it  in  former  times  towards 
Bertie  as  to  lead  her  to  Christ.  But  things 
were  a little  different  now.  In  former  times 
Katie  Robertson  was  humble.  She  did  not  think 
so  much  of  herself  and  her  own  powers.  Her 
mind  dwelt  chiefly  upon  how  she  could  help  her 
mother  and  benefit  her  companions.  Now  she 
was  “puffed  up”  with  a pretty  high  idea  of  her 
own  scholarship  and  faithfulness  to  duty.  She 
was  one  of  the  “smart”  girls  and  one  of  the 
good  ones,  as  contrasted  with  the  “ shirks  ” and 
the  “rule-breakers/1  The  commendation  she 
had  received  had  somewhat  turned  her  head. 
She  had  become  a little  self-righteous,  and  it  is 
no  wonder  if,  with  her  eyes  turned  away  from 
“looking  unto  Jesus”  and  fastened  upon  her- 
self, she  should  stumble  and  fall  into  a sin 


HELEN  LORNE. 


l6l 


which  was  as  bad  for  her , with  her  advantages 
and  the  Help  she  had  received,  as  the  grosser 
sins  of  the  other  girls  were  for  them. 

The  room-mates  had  not  spoken  to  each  other 
since  the  night  of  the  entertainment,  on  which 
occasion  we  remember  Bertie  was  so  incensed 
at  her  companion's  ill-timed  lecture,  that  she  re- 
solved not  to  speak  to  her  friend  again  — a reso- 
lution which,  strange  to  say,  she  kept  all  the 
while  the  two  were  dressing  the  next  morning. 
Her  self-imposed  penance,  for  such  it  was  to  a 
girl  so  fond  of  talking  as  Bertie,  would  not 
probably  have  endured  much  longer,  if  Katie's 
indignation  at  what  she  had  heard  under  the 
stairs,  and  Bertie's  knowledge  that  she  had 
heard  it,  had  not  thrown  a barrier  between  them 
of  anger  and  shame,  which  the  one  would  not 
and  the  other  could  not  remove. 

As  a consequence,  when  Katie  knelt  to  say 
her  evening  prayer  there  was  a cloud  between 
her  and  her  Saviour,  and  the  sweet,  holy  words 
of  her  Bible  had  lost  their  old  power  to  com- 
fort her.  “ If  we  regard  iniquity  in  our  heart 
the  Lord  will  not  hear  our  prayer  nor  can  wc 
pray  aright  while  we  are  cherishing  animosity 


1 62  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


against  any  of  God’s  creatures.  Our  Saviour  has 
told  us,  — 

“ If  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and 
there  rememberest  that  thy  brother  hath  aught 
against  thee,  leave  there  thy  gift  before  the 
altar,  and  go  thy  way ; first  be  reconciled  to 
thy  brother,  and  then  come  and  offer  thy 
gift.” 

But  no  degree  of  self-condemnation  can  en- 
tirely take  away  the  pleasure  of  an  expected 
holiday  visit  from  a school-girl,  and  it  was  with 
a very  bright  face  that  Katie  put  on  her  church 
suit  and  waited  for  Mrs.  Lome’s  carriage  to 
come  for  her  on  Saturday  afternoon.  She  had, 
of  course,  said  nothing  to  Bertie  about  the  ex- 
pected visit,  and  the  latter  was  so  brimming 
over  with  curiosity  as  she  saw  the  night-dress 
and  comb  and  brush  packed  up  that  she  almost 
broke  her  resolution  of  not  speaking  to  her 
friend.  As  she  would  certainly  have  broken  it 
had  she  remained  in  the  room,  she  retreated  to 
the  hall,  and  there,  in  company  with  Amelia 
Bascom  and  one  or  two  other  girls,  saw  the 
beautiful  horses  draw  the  elegant  carriage  up  to 
the  door,  heard  Katie  run  down  stairs,  and  saw 


HELEN  LORNE . 163 

her  open  the  door  and  enter  the  carriage,  which 
then  drove  rapidly  away. 

“ Whew ! ” said  Amelia,  “ that 's  style  ; — 
who  'd  have  thought  it  ? Really,  Bertie,  your  fac- 
tory — I beg  pardon,  I mean  country  — girls, 
have  stylish  acquaintances.  Who  are  your 
friend's  friends?" 

“ I think  I saw  Helen  Lome  in  the  carriage," 
said  Bertie,  coloring  as  she  always  did  when 
her  tormentor's  eyes  were  fixed  upon  her,  but 
trying  to  speak  carelessly.  “ She  ’s  one  of  my 
cousin's  friends.  They  ’re  together  a good 
deal;"  which  was  near  enough  to  the  truth 
for  her  purpose,  if  not  exactly  accurate. 

“ Do  you  know  the  Lornes  ? " burst  in  Minnie 
Corwin.  “ My  father  says  Mr.  Lome  is  the  rich- 
est man  in  the  city.  Their  house  is  just  elegant. 
I did  n't  know  Miss  Robertson  was  acquainted 
with  them."  Minnie's  respect  for  both  Bertie 
and  Katie  had  evidently  very  greatly  increased 
since  the  advent  of  the  carriage. 

“She  don’t  know  them,"  said  Amelia  snap- 
pishly; “it’s  only  one  of  Helen  Lome's  cranks, 
you  may  depend  upon  it.  She  heard  what  we 
said  about  Katie’s  giving  herself  such  airs,  and 


1 64  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD . 

she  only  a factory  girl,  and  she  \s  just  taken  her 
up  to  make  us  mad.  My  ! did  n’t  her  eyes  snap 
yesterday ! ” 

“ Still/'  said  Minnie,  “ that  Robertson  girl 
must  be  f somebody/  or  the  Lornes  would  n’t 
take  her  up.  You  must  be  mistaken  about  the 
factory  story/’ 

“ Ask  Bertie/’  said  the  other,  but  Bertie  had 
prudently  retired. 

Meanwhile,  Katie  was  greatly  enjoying  her 
drive.  Very  seldom  in  her  life  had  she  been  in 
a carriage ; never  in  one  so  elegant  and  luxu- 
rious as  this.  To  sit  among  the  soft,  springy 
cushions  and  be  whirled  along  over  the  smooth 
roadways  of  the  park  was  an  exhilarating  de- 
light of  itself  which  those  unused  to  carriages 
can  hardly  understand.  Then  to  her  country- 
educated  taste,  so  long  starved  by  a prospect  of 
staring  brick  walls,  the  free  open  sunshine,  the 
broad  expanse  of  blue  sky,  the  green  slopes, 
just  turning  an  emerald  green,  and  the  distant 
glimpse  of  the  ocean  beyond  the  open  landscape 
was  a feast  of  delight.  Also  to  a girl  who  had 
studied  as  hard  as  our  Katie  had  done,  and  who 
was  really  suffering  for  fresh  air,  exercise,  and 


HELEN  LORNE. 


I6S 

rest,  the  change  of  scene  and  occupation  was  an 
exhilaration  in  itself,  and  her  kind  entertainer 
was  glad  to  see  a faint  tinge  of  color  come  into 
the  pale  cheeks,  and  a new  light  into  the  heavy, 
tired  eyes. 

Mrs.  Lome  had  been  studying  the  pale 
cheeks  and  heavy  eyes  as  Katie  sat  in  front  of 
her  by  the  side  of,  but  such  a contrast  to,  her 
own  bright  and  radiant  Helen ; who,  because  of 
her  steady  attendance  at  school,  and  the  ease 
with  which  she  had  always  acquired  everything, 
had  never  been  over-taxed  either  in  body  or 
mind.  She  saw  the  traces  of  the  over-work  to 
which  her  ambition  had  driven  the  girl  before 
her  ; but  she  saw  or  thought  she  saw  something 
else.  Katie  evidently  was  not  happy.  This,  of 
course,  might  be  partially  accounted  for  by  the 
unkindness  of  the  girls,  of  which  her  daughter 
had  told  her ; but  she  thought  she  detected 
traces  of  something  else,  and  she  determined  to 
find  out  what  that  something  else  was,  if  possi- 
ble, before  her  guest  went  back  to  her  work, 

Katie's  expressions  of  admiration  for  the  park 
were  quite  warm  enough  to  satisfy  Helen,  to 
whom  it  was  an  old  story.  Her  home  was 


1 66  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

about  three  miles  from  the  Institute,  and, 
though  she  generally  went  to  and  from  school 
in  a street  car,  it  was  often  convenient  for  her 
mother  to  send  her  or  call  for  her  in  the  car- 
riage, and  on  such  occasions  they  always  drove 
through  the  park.  Nor  was  the  kind  girl  any 
less  satisfied  with  the  success  of  her  plan  when 
she  saw  her  new  friend’s  evident  delight  in  the 
beautiful  house,  and  especially  the  pretty  little 
bedroom  which  she  was  to  occupy  alone ; Mrs. 
Lome  having  wisely  decided  that,  till  she  knew 
more  about  this  stranger,  it  would  be  best  for 
her  not  to  share  her  carefully  guarded  daughter’s 
room. 

It  was  quite  dark  when  they  got  home,  and 
after  tea,  which  was  enlivened  by  a boy  cousin 
of  Helen’s,  who  always  spent  Saturday  evenings 
at  his  aunt’s,  a few  merry  games,  and  prayers  — 
conducted  by  Helen’s  father  and  so  different  to 
the  formal  service  at  school,  — the  two  girls  re- 
tired, Mrs.  Lome  saying  as  she  bade  Katie 
good-night,  — 

“ I always  like  to  have  Helen  go  to  bed  early 
on  Saturday  night  in  order  to  be  well  rested  for 
Sunday.  There  is  so  much  that  is  delightful  to 


HELEN  LORNE . 


167 


do  on  that  day  that  we  always  have  breakfast 
half  an  hour  earlier.  I hope  it  does  not  trouble 
you  to  get  up  early.” 

“Not  in  the  least,”  said  Katie;  adding,  “You 
know  I have  been  used  to  early  hours  at  the 
paper-mill,” — and  her  simplicity  in  thus  speak- 
ing of  her  work  added  to  Mrs.  Lome’s  respect. 


l68  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWQOD. 


CHAPTER  X. 

A CHRISTIAN  SUNDAY. 

UNDAY  morning  dawned  as  still  and 
bright  at  the  Lornes  as  it  had  ever 
done  at  Squantown.  A garden,  large 
for  the  city,  surrounded  the  house,  and,  though 
as  yet  there  was  no  foliage,  it  gave  promise  of 
summer’s  greenness  and  beauty,  and  at  least 
let  in  air  and  sunshine.  There  were  no  rattling 
carts  and  wagons  to  break  the  Sabbath  morning 
stillness,  and  the  street-cars  were  too  far  off  to 
be  heard  except  as  a distant  rumble.  Breakfast 
was  ready  precisely  at  seven.  Though  everything 
on  the  table  was  wholesome  and  palatable,  deli- 
cately prepared  and  delicately  served,  there  was 
nothing  which  required  much  sacred  time  to  be 
consumed  in  its  preparation.  After  breakfast, 
all  the  family,  including  three  Protestant  ser- 
vants, assembled  for  morning  prayers,  which 
consisted  of  a carefully-selected  passage  of 


A CHRISTIAN  SUNDAY \ 169 

Scripture,  a hymn  in  which  all  joined,  and  an 
earnest  prayer,  which  included  all  the  needs 
and  touched  all  the  circumstances  of  all  present, 
and  which,  looking  forward  through  the  day  and 
its  happy  duties,  sought  a spiritual  blessing 
upon  all.  There  was  no  press  of  either  business 
or  school  to-day,  and  all  felt  that  as  the  day  be- 
gan so  early  there  was  plenty  of  time  to  make 
the  home  prayer-service  a little  fuller  than 
usual. 

At  its  close  Mrs.  Lome  said,  “ I suppose  you 
would  like  to  accompany  Helen  and  me  to  Sun- 
day-school to-day,  Katie.  We  never  entertain 
visitors  on  Sundays  or  change  our  usual  plan  of 
life  on  their  account.  We  shall  be  very  glad  to 
have  you  go  with  us,  but  if  you  prefer  to  remain 
at  home  and  read,  you  are  welcome  to  do  so,  and 
there  are  plenty  of  books.” 

“I’da  great  deal  rather  go,”  said  Katie  ; “it 
will  seem  so  much  more  like  home.” 

“Well,  then,  Sunday-school  commences  at 
nine,  and  perhaps  you  would  like  to  look  over 
the  lesson  first.  Helen  will  show  you  where  it  i%, 
and  you  will  find  plenty  of  ‘helps’  on  that 
shelf,”  pointing  to  one  of  the  book-cases  in  the 
library  where  they  were  sitting. 


170  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

“ Please  excuse  me  a little  while,  Katie,”  said 
Helen,  when  she  had  provided  her  friend  with 
the  necessary  books,  “ I always  help  mamma 
with  the  bedrooms  on  Sunday.” 

“ Do  you  do  your  own  rooms  ? ” asked  Katie 
in  surprise. 

“ Only  on  Sundays.  We  always  help  the 
girls  on  Sundays  so  that  they  may  all  be  able  to 
go  to  church  and  Sunday-school  if  they  choose. 
Mamma  thinks  if  they  are  as  free  as  we  are  to 
attend  all  the  services,  they  won’t  want  to  be 
running  about  visiting  and  pleasure-seeking  in 
the  afternoon  and  evening.” 

“ What  do  they  do  with  themselves  then  ? ” 

“ They  generally  go  to  church  at  night,  and 
in  the  afternoon  they  have  a pleasant  sitting- 
room  just  off  the  kitchen,  with  a table  and 
plenty  of  Sunday  books.” 

“ Don’t  they  want  to  go  out  ? ” 

“ They  never  go,  except  Celia.  Her  mother 
is  sick,  and  she  generally  sits  with  her  all  Sun- 
day afternoon,  so  as  to  let  her  other  sister  go  to 
church.  She  is  always  at  home,  though,  in  time 
for  tea.  I asked  mamma  once  what  made  our 
servants  do  so  differently  to  other  people’s  ser- 


A CHRISTIAN  SUNDAY.  I/I 

vants  who  seem  to  consider  Sunday  a day  for 
visiting  and  worldly  pleasure.  She  said,  pointing 
to  the  fourth  commandment.  ‘ Y our  father  and  I 
mean  to  obey  that,  Helen.'  You  see  it  says,  ‘ thy 
manservant  and  thy  w^z^servant.’  The  com- 
mandment covers  you  also,  Katie.  You  won't  be 
allowed  to  go  out  pleasure-seeking  either,  for 
the  commandment  says,  ‘ nor  thy  stranger 
that  is  within  thy  gates.'  " 

The  Lornes  walked  to  church,  a quiet  little 
surburban  church,  where  one  looked  in  vain  for 
the  gorgeous  decoration  and  beautiful  music 
which  were  to  be  seen  and  heard  at  Dr.  Pea- 
body’s. For  many  years  both  the  parents  were 
members  of  this  grand  city  church,  but  after 
moving  into  their  present  home,  it  had  seemed 
to  them  wrong  to  use  the  carriage  to  drive  into 
and  out  of  town  twice  on  Sunday,  thus  depriv- 
ing both  horses  and  coachman  of  their  rightful 
Sunday  rest.  Besides,  soon  afterwards,  a little 
church  was  commenced  in  their  neighborhood, 
and  Mr.  Lome  felt  it  to  be  his  duty  to  give  his 
money  and  influence  to  the  support  of  the  new 
enterprise,  which  grew  rapidly  and  flourished 
greatly  under  his  fostering  care.  It  was  now  a 


172  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

moderate-sized  church,  well  filled  with  wor- 
shippers, and  the  Sunday-school  especially  was 
in  a very  prosperous  condition.  Here  both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Lome  had  classes,  while  Helen  be- 
longed to  a Bible-class,  most  of  whose  members 
were  much  older  than  herself.  Katie  noticed 
that  they  were  of  all  grades  in  society,  to  judge 
by  their  dress  and  methods  of  speaking.  She 
also  noticed  that  Helen  was  just  as  cordial  in  her 
greeting  to  all,  paying  particular  attention,  offer- 
ing a hymn-book,  etc.,  to  a little  German  woman 
whose  appearance  would  have  certainly  caused 
Sophronia  to  “pass  by  on  the  other  side.” 

The  Sunday-school  and  its  services  presented 
nothing  to  distinguish  it  from  other  schools  in 
the  city.  Lessons,  exercises,  and  hymns  went 
forward  in  almost  the  same  order  as  in  the  great 
model  school  which  Katie  had  visited  with 
Lilian ; but  somehow  it  all  seemed  more  home- 
like, and  while  listening  to  the  quiet,  earnest 
words  of  the  class-teacher,  she  felt  almost  as 
though  she  was  back  at  Squantown,  with  the 
old  familiar  faces  and  forms  around  her. 

The  church  service  followed  immediately 
upon  that  of  the  Sunday-school.  It  was  not  so 


A CHRISTIAN  SUNDA  Y. 


173 


showily  conducted  as  that  at  Dr.  Peabody’s,  and 
the  audience  was  not  half  so  finely  dressed,  but 
the  sermon  was  even  better,  for,  being  simpler 
and  suited  to  the  taste  and  capacity  of  the  audi- 
ence, it  was  better  adapted  to  a girl  of  Katie’s 
age. 

The  text  was,  “ Who,  when  he  was  reviled, 
reviled  not  again,”  the  preacher  dwelling  with 
deep  earnestness  and  pathos  upon  the  example 
of  the  blessed  Lord  Jesus,  the  cruel  injuries 
he  received,  his  patience  and  his  forgiveness. 
Then  he  went  on  to  show  how  all  who  have  been 
forgiven  their  sins  for  his  sake  are  bound  to 
follow  in  his  steps,  forgiving  all  the  injuries 
they  receive,  which  can  never  compare  with 
what  was  heaped  upon  him,  and  striving  to  do 
good  to  them,  even  if  some  little  self-sacrifice 
is  encountered  in  doing  so. 

Katie  quite  understood  the  sermon,  and  felt 
its  application  to  herself ; that  is,  she  saw  how 
very  different  was  her  present  and  recent  state 
of  feeling  and  action  to  that  of  a Christian,  as 
depicted  by  the  preacher,  - — a state  in  which  the 
constant  sense  of  our  own  weakness  and  worth- 
lessness, together  with  a remembrance  of  how 


174  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOB. 

much  we  have  ourselves  been  forgiven,  will 
keep  us  humble  at  the  feet  of  our  Saviour,  and 
ready  to  forgive  all  offences  against  ourselves. 
But  seeing  this  is  very  different  from  feeling  just 
as  we  ought  to  feel,  and  Katie  was  honest 
enough  to  know,  when  she  thought  of  Bertie 
and  the  rest,  that  her  sentiments  towards  them 
were  not  at  all  of  the  nature  of  forgiveness. 

On  their  return  from  church,  Helen  showed 
Katie  the  beautiful  conservatory,  which  was  now 
full  of  flowers,  and  then  took  her  into  the  pic- 
ture-gallery, where  Mr.  Lome  soon  joined  them 
and  explained  some  of  the  pictures,  most  of 
which  were  of  a religious  character,  in  a way  to 
convey  valuable  impressions  as  well  as  to  incul- 
cate useful  lessons. 

“ I will  not  apologize  for  giving  you  cold 
chicken  for  dinner,”  said  Mrs.  Lome  to  Katie. 
“ I like  to  have  my  cook  go  to  church  with  the 
other  girls,  and  by  a little  management  she  can 
do  it.  She  cooks  the  meat  and  makes  the 
dessert  the  day  before,  and,  preparing  the  vege- 
tables in  the  morning,  has  just  time  to  cook 
them  after  church.  We  none  of  us  miss  a hot 
joint  of  meat  when  we  feel  that  we  are  doing 


A CHRISTIAN  SUNDAY. 


1 75 

our  best  to  remember  the  Sabbath-day  to  keep 
it  holy.” 

Katie  thought  of  the  Sunday  feasting  at  the 
grocer’s,  and  felt  how  much  better  was  this 
plain,  simple  dinner,  which  was  prepared  and 
eaten  “ to  the  glory  of  God,”  than  the  sensual 
indulgence  which  steals  from  him  the  sacred 
day  and  uses  it  selfishly  for  our  own  pleasure. 
It  is  needless  to  add  that  Katie  Robertson  saw 
no  wine,  either  at  this  or  at  any  other  time, 
upon  the  Lornes’  table. 

The  dinner-table  conversation  was  very  pleas- 
ant, turning  upon  topics  suggested  by  the 
Sunday-school  lesson  or  the  sermon.  Mr. 
Lome  told  some  facts  about  his  crowded  city 
mission  district.  His  wife  repeated  some  new 
items  of  missionary  information.  Helen  talked 
of  some  moral  question  which  had  come  up  in 
the  school  classes  during  the  week.  Katie  was 
skilfully  included  in  the  conversation,  and  by 
little,  indefinable  courtesies,  made  to  feel  that 
she  was  considered  as  an  equal  by  every  one  of 
the  family.  About  half  an  hour  after  the  close 
of  the  meal  Mr.  Lome  left  the  room,  and  then 
Mrs.  Lome  said,  — • 


1/6  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

“I  have  always  thought  that  every  human 
being  needs  to  be  at  times  alone  with  God,  and 
this,  it  seems  to  me,  was  one  of  His  purposes 
in  establishing  his  sacred  day.  We  are  all  more 
or  less  hurried  with  our  cares  and  duties  of  the 
week,  and  it  is  hard  to  secure  time  for  self- 
examination  and  prayer.  Even  if  we  take  it,  our 
thoughts  are  apt  to  be  full  of  the  next  duties 
which  are  pressing  upon  us,  and  we  lack  quiet- 
ness of  spirit.  But  on  Sunday  afternoon  there 
is  plenty  of  time,  and  there  are  no  distractions; 
so  I have  always  been  in  the  habit  of  retiring 
to  my  own  room  on  Sunday,  immediately  after 
dinner,  and  spending  a few  hours  alone,  so  far 
as  human  companionship  is  concerned ; and  I 
believe  Helen  is  finding  much  profit  in  following 
my  example.  You  will  excuse  us  if  we  leave 
you  to  your  own  devices.  You  will,  of  course, 
find  plenty  of  occupation.  At  five  o’clock 
Helen  generally  comes  into  my  room  to  have 
her  weekly  talk  about  various  matters  that  in- 
terest her.  If  you  would  like  to  join  her  I shall 
be  very  happy  to  see  you.” 

“I  should  be  delighted  to  come.  Thank  you 
for  asking  me/’  said  Katie,  as  she,  too,  went  up 


A CHRISTIAN  SUNDAY. 


* 77 


stairs  and  sought  her  own  room,  where,  finding 
a nice  Bible  had  been  provided  for  her,  she  sat 
down  to  her  usual  Sunday  afternoon  reading. 

Our  young  Christian  had  a good  deal  to  think 
of  this  afternoon.  The  past  week  had  been  a 
very  eventful  one  to  her,  and  its  occurrences  had 
disturbed  the  even  tenor  of  her  Christian  life. 
Feelings  and  passions  to  which  she  had  usually 
been  a stranger  had  come  into  her  heart  and 
found  lodgment  there,  and  it  was  not  so  easy 
to  pray  or  read  her  Bible  as  it  used  to  be.  She 
could  not  command  her  thoughts  or  her  atten- 
tion. Echoes  of  the  music  and  the  recitations, 
and  memories  of  the  words  she  had  spoken  and 
the  applause  she  had  received,  called  her  atten- 
tion away  from  the  words  she  was  reading  or 
trying  to  say;  and  her  resentful  feeling  towards 
Bertie,  Sophronia,  and  their  set,  seemed  to 
draw  a cloud  between  her  and  the  Saviour 
whom  she  had  loved  so  long.  It  was  with  a 
saddened  heart  and  a feeling  of  great  dis- 
couragement that  at  five  o'clock  she  joined 
Helen  at  the  door  of  Mrs.  Lome’s  room. 

It  had  been  Helen's  custom  as  long  as  she 
could  remember  to  save  up  all  the  questions 


178  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


which  had  interested  or  puzzled  her  during  the 
week  to  talk  over  with  her  mother  at  this  sweet, 
sacred  Sabbath  hour. 

Her  mother  enjoyed  her  daughter’s  entire 
confidence,  and  perhaps  Helen’s  uniform  right 
thinking  and  right  feeling  arose  largely  from 
this  habit  of  looking  at  everything  in  the  light 
of  her  mother’s  superior  wisdom  and  experience. 
She  told  this  dear  friend  all  about  her  friends, 
her  lessons,  her  pleasures,  everything  which  in- 
terested her  and  everything  which  perplexed 
her,  and  if  she  did  not  get  a solution  to  all  her 
difficulties,  she  did  get  entire  sympathy  and  the 
application  of  high  Christian  principle  to  all  the 
little  and  apparently  unimportant  details  of  her 
life. 

To-day  the  mother  and  daughter  talked  a 
little  while  of  some  matters  in  which  they  alone 
were  interested,  but  in  a simple,  familiar  man- 
ner, calculated  to  put  the  visitor  completely  at 
her  ease,  and  then  Helen  said,  — 

“ Mamma,  do  you  think  distinctions  in  rank 
are  right,  — Christian,  I mean  ? ” 

“They  are  inevitable,  and  everything  that  is 
inevitable  must  of  necessity  be  right.  A culti- 


A CHRISTIAN  SUNDA  K 


179 


vatcd  man  and  a savage  cannot  find  any  pleasure 
in  each  other’s  society;  nor,  one  would  think, 
could  the  bad  and  good  enjoy  associating  to- 
gether.” 

“I  don’t  mean  that  exactly;  but  does  it  make 
any  difference  how  much  money  we  have,  how 
we  dress,  or  what  our  occupation  is  ? ” 

“ As  to  dress,  decidedly  no  ; as  to  money, 
there  is  this  to  say,  — Those  who  have  had  it 
and  used  it  wisely  for  several  generations  are 
apt  to  be  better  educated  and  more  refined  than 
those  whose  daily  struggle  for  an  existence 
takes  all  their  time  and  strength,  and  prevents 
their  reading  and  studying.  But  I don’t  see 
how  the  nature  of  a person’s  occupation  can 
make  the  person  either  better  or  worse  in  itself. 
I have  known  poor  seamstresses  and  even  ser- 
vants as  thoroughly  refined  Christian  ladies  as 
any  that  I have  met  in  society.” 

“ Do  you  think  it  lowers  or  degrades  a girl  to 
work  for  money  in  a factory,  for  example?” 
said  Katie,  blushing.  “ Bertie  Sanderson  does, 
and  is  always  talking  about  being  made  into  a 
lady.” 

“That  I don’t  agree  with  Bertie  Sanderson 


ISO  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


you  may  see  by  my  permitting  Helen  to  as- 
sociate with  you,  dear.  If  a girl  is  a lady, 
nothing  honorable  that  she  can  do  will  unmake 
her,  since,  of  course,  she  will  only  seek  her 
companionship  among  the  virtuous  and  refined, 
and  will  make  the  most  of  such  advantages  as 
she  has  to  improve  herself.  But  even  here,  as 
everywhere  else,  the  motive  makes  all  the  dif- 
ference. To  work  in  any  capacity  for  our  own 
support,  or  to  help  those  dear  to  us  or  dependent 
upon  us,  is  always  noble  and  can  injure  no  one. 
But  suppose  a girl  wants  more  finery  than  her 
parents  are  able  to  give  her,  and  goes  into  a 
mill  in  order  to  get  it,  leaving  the  duties  in  her 
own  home,  which  God  has  given  her  to  do. 
Would  you  call  that  noble  ? ” 

“ That ’s  just  what  Bertie  Sanderson  used  to 
work  for,”  said  Katie.  “ She  spent  all  her  first 
earnings  upon  a silk  dress  which  everybody  said 
looked  ridiculous.” 

Mrs.  Lome  felt  that  she  was  beginning  to 
touch  the  secret  of  Katie’s  unhappiness,  and,  in 
order  to  reach  the  bottom,  she  said  quietly,  — 

“ Do  you  love  Bertie  Sanderson  ?” 

“ Love  her ! O Mrs.  Lome,  you  don’t  know 


A CHRISTIAN  SUNDAY.  I$i 

all  I have  done  for  her!  I took  care  of  her 
when  she  had  the  ship  fever  and  every  one  was 
afraid  to  come  near  her ; and  I forgave  her 
a very  great  wrong  she  had  done  me,  and  ever 
since  I have  done  everything  for  her  I could, 
though  she  is  n't  at  all  the  kind  of  girl  I should 
have  chosen  for  a friend." 

“ And  no  doubt  you  have  felt  yourself  to  be  a 
very  good  girl  in  doing  all  this  ; but,  Katie,  the 
Bible  says  : * Though  I give  my  body  to  be 
burned,  and  have  not  charity  (love)  it  shall 
profit  me  nothing.'  Do  you  understand  that? 
Do  you  love  Bertie  ? " 

“ I used  to,  but  she 's  so  ungrateful.  She 
don't  seem  to  care  for  me  any  more.  She  don't 
try  to  do  as  I tell  her.  She  chooses  girls  who 
are  rude  to  me  for  her  friends  ; and  — and  only 
this  week  she  was  so  unkind.  You  don't  know 
what  I heard ! " 

“ Yes,  I do.  Helen  overheard  all  that  conver- 
sation, and  it  was  because  of  the  unkindness  of 
those  girls  that  she  asked  me  to  invite  you 
here,"  Katie  looked  surprised,  and  gave  her 
new  friend  a grateful  glance.  “ Nevertheless, 
f know  that  you  otight  to  love  Bertie  and  the 


1 82  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

others  in  spite  of  all.  Think  how  ungrateful  we 
have  all  been  to  the  Saviour  who  has  done  and 
suffered  so  much  for  us,  and  how  unfit  we  are  to 
be  his  friends,  and  yet  he  loves  us  still,  and 
says  in  his  holy  Word  that  he  ‘takes  pleasure  in 
us.’  ” 

Katie  dropped  her  eyes  and  looked  a little 
abashed,  but  said, — 

“ How  can  we  make  ourselves  love  and  forgive 
others  ? ” 

“ By  earnest  prayer  to  him  who  has  prorm 
ised  to  help  us  in  every  time  of  need.” 

“Mrs.  Lome,”  said  Katie,  her  eyes  full  of 
tears  and  her  voice  trembling  with  emotion, 
“ it  sounds  dreadfully,  but  it ’s  true,  — I can't 
pray  any  more  as  I used  to.  I don’t  feel  as 
though  there  was  any  one  to  listen.  I can’t 
think  of  the  words  I say.  I feel  like  a hypo- 
crite. I sometimes  think  I never  was  a Chris- 
tian, or,  at  any  rate,  that  I am  not  one  now, 
and  I don’t  know  what  to  do.  Can  you  help 
me  ? ” 

“ If  you  will  let  me  speak  very  plainly,  just 
as  I would  to  Helen,  I think  I can.  How  long 
has  this  sad  state  of  things  lasted  ? ” 


A CHRISTIAN  SUNDAY,  183 

“Oh,  a long  time  — ever  since  I began  to  be  so 
busy  with  my  lessons,  and  in  such  a hurry,  and 
so  tired,  but  it's  been  a great  deal  worse  this 
last  week.,, 

“ Why  have  you  been  so  hurried  and  tired  ? 
Helen  is  not.” 

“ Helen  is  stronger  than  I am,  and  it  comes 
easier  to  her  to  study.” 

“That  is  true.  But  have  you  any  right  to 
over-tax  the  body  which  God  has  given  you  to 
take  care  of  for  him  ? ” 

“ I never  thought  of  that,”  said  Katie,  with  a 
look  of  surprise.  “ I wanted  to  get  on  just  as 
fast  as  I could.” 

“ Why?” 

But  no  answer  came,  and  Mrs.  Lome  repeated 
the  question,  adding,  — 

“Your  motive  ought  to  have  been  in  this,  as 
in  everything  else,  to  please  God.  Is  he  pleased 
when  we  over-work  ourselves  ? ” 

Katie  could  not  answer.  It  seemed  as  though 
scales  had  fallen  from  her  eyes ; and,  as  she 
looked  back  over  these  months  of  school  life, 
she  saw  that  her  ambition  for  study  had  not 
contained  a thought  of  God’s  pleasure  at  all. 


1 84  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

At  best  she  had  sought  her  own  approbation 
or  that  of  her  teachers,  but  a very  large  part  of 
her  motives  of  late  had  been  made  up  of  a de- 
sire for  being  thought  studious  and  talented, 
and  the  pleasure  of  gaining  applause  and  appro- 
bation. What  else  had  prompted  her  to  write 
and  deliver  her  poem  and  to  perform  her  part  in 
the  entertainment  ? What  else  had  made  her 
for  a few  moments  so  deliriously  happy  at  her 
success  ? She  had  not  even  once  thanked  God 
for  it,  nor  had  she  asked  his  blessing  once  in 
studying  her  part  or  writing  her  poem. 

“ I think  you  begin  to  see  the  state  of  the 
case,”  said  Mrs  Lome  kindly.  (Helen,  at  a 
signal  from  her  mother,  had  long  since  left  the 
room.)  “ When  we  let  anything  else  except 
God  occupy  the  altar  of  our  hearts  we  cannot 
really  pray  to  him.  Self  is  the  idol  which 
most  surely  shuts  him  out  of  his  temple.  Self 
has  a great  many  servants,  called  by  the  Bible 
‘little  foxes  which  spoil  the  tender  grapes.’ 
This  little  fox  is  ambition.  Shall  we  seek  out 
and  take  another  ? ” 

“If  you  please,”  said  Katie  humbly,  u art 
there  many  more  ? ” 


A CHRISTIAN  SUNDAY. 


I85 


* I don’t  know ; but  something  must  have 
gnawed  at  your  love  for  your  companions. 
From  what  you  said  a little  while  ago,  I should 
judge  that  you  have  considered  yourself  a very 
much  better  girl  than  most  of  them  — more 
faithful,  more  honest,  more  forgiving,  a better 
scholar,  a better  Christian.  Is  n't  it  so  ? ” 
Katie  nodded,  and  the  lady  went  on.  “And 
was  not  a large  part  of  your  anger  against  them 
due  to  the  fact  that,  in  spite  of  that  superiority 
and  the  praise  you  had  received  for  it,  the  girls 
said  hard  things  against  you  ? I will  not  say 
that  they  were  not  very  unkind  ; but  was  not  a 
part  of  what  they  said  true  ? You  were  a little 
‘ stuck  up  9 and  conceited  about  your  poem  and 
the  entertainment  and  some  other  things,  and 
the  want  of  the  same  praise  from  them  that  you 
had  received  from  other  people  made  you  indig- 
nant with  them." 

“ I wish  I had  never  heard  of  the  entertain- 
ment," sobbed  Katie. 

“Well,  I have  my  doubts  about  the  propriety 
of  this  sort  of  thing,  so  common  in  our  large 
schools.  The  teachers  say  it  gives  confidence  to 
the  pupils  and  develops  their  powers,  but  it 


1 86  THREE  FEARS  AT  GLENJVOOD. 


seems  to  me  to  be  leading  them  directly  into 
temptation.  I would  not  be  willing  to  have  my 
Helen  appear  in  one  of  these  performances,  I 
should  be  afraid  of  its  weakening  the  uncon- 
scious simplicity  with  which  I want  her  to  do 
everything  to  the  glory  of  God.  But  I will  not 
blame  the  teachers.  It  may  be  of  advantage  to 
girls  who  are  to  become  teachers  in  their  turn. 
We  can  resist  temptation  anywhere,  Katie,  if 
we  are  humbly  trusting  in  our  Saviour  to  keep  us. 
But  you  see  you  were  not  humble.,, 

“ Yes,”  said  Katie,  with  a sigh.  “ Mrs.  Lome 
I am  very  sorry.  What  ought  I to  do  ? ” 

“Tell  your  dear  Saviour  so,  remembering  that 
his  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin/  that  he  is 
always  more  ready  to  receive  us  when  we  have 
wandered  away  from  him  than  we  are  to  come 
back.  And  comparing  your  advantages  with 
those  of  your  companions,  in  having  a mother  to 
teach  you  of  holy  things,  and  in  being  early 
called  into  the  service  of  Christ,  you  will  see 
that  your  slightest  wanderings  are  more  sinful 
for  you  than  their  sins  towards  you  are  for 
them  ; and  being  humble  now  you  will  find  no 
difficulty  in  forgiving  them.  Then  I think  if 


A CHRISTIAN  SUNDAY.  . 1 8/ 

you  go  to  work  to  do  kind  things  for  them,  you 
will  soon  find  yourself  loving  them,  and  not 
thinking  of  whether  or  not  they  are  grateful  to 
you  and  love  you  in  return.  If  you  should,  you 
have  only  just  to  remember  how  our  Saviour  goes 
on  loving  the  unthankful  and  the  evil,  and  you 
will  forget  yourself  in  studying  him.  I think 
now  we  have  caught  all  the  foxes,  and  if  my  lit- 
tle Katie  will  only  once  more  seek  simply  to 
please  God  in  all  she  says  and  does,  she  will  not 
get  into  such  a dark  place  again.” 

She  had  spoken  very  seriously  but  very  kindly, 
and  now  she  bent  down  and  kissed  the  sobbing 
girl,  saying,  “Tea  will  be  ready  in  a few  moments, 
but  if  you  want  to  go  to  your  room  for  a little 
while  we  will  wait  for  you.”  Katie  understood, 
and  going  to  her  room  and  throwing  herself  on 
her  knees  before  her  Saviour,  told  him  all  the 
sad  story,  finding  no  difficulty  in  commanding  her 
attention  now,  and  realizing  for  herself  what  our 
Saviour  meant  when  he  said,  — 

“ Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  are  weary  and 
heavy  laden  and  I will  give  you  rest.” 

When  the  tea-bell  summoned  her  to  come 
down  stairs  she  was  so  full  of  peace,  joy,  and 


i 88  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


love  to  every  human  being  that  she  could  have 
embraced  Bertie  Sanderson  and  her  whole  set ; 
and  her  kind  entertainer,  seeing  the  brightness 
of  her  face,  silently  thanked  God  for  this  oppor- 
tunity of  service  for  him. 


BREAKING  RULES, . 


189 


CHAPTER  XI. 

BREAKING  RULES. 

ATIE  ROBERTSON  went  back  to  her 
school  duties  on  Monday  morning  in  a 
very  different  frame  of  mind  from  that 
in  which  she  had  left  them  on  Friday  afternoon. 
They  had  taken  on  a new  aspect  when  seen 
from  a different  plane  of  vision.  Lessons  which 
were  interesting  in  themselves  became  doubly 
so  when  studied  with  a distinct  purpose  of  pleas- 
ing her  Saviour,  and  work  did  not  seem  to  be 
half  so  fatiguing  which  was  performed  for 
this  object ; while  her  heart  was  so  alive  to 
the  desire  of  serving  him  by  serving  others 
that  she  was  ever  on  the  watch  for  doing  little 
kindnesses,  and  had  Lilian  come  to  her  for  help 
now,  she  would  have  found  — 

“ A heart  at  leisure  from  itself 
To  soothe  and  sympathize.” 

When  Bertie  came  to  her  room  that  night, 


190  THREE  FEARS  AT  GLENW00D. 

Katie  said  immediately,  “I  am  sorry  I was  angry 
with  you,  Bertie.  Let ’s  kiss  and  be  friends 
again.” 

Bertie  stared.  She  was  under  the  impression 
that  she  was  the  offending  party.  She  had 
thought  that  she  had  ought  to  apologize  to 
Katie  for  her  share  in  the  conversation  which 
she  knew  had  been  heard  by  its  subject,  although 
she  had  not  been  so  much  to  blame  as  some  of 
the  other  girls.  But  she  had  felt  awkwardly 
about  it  ; and  though  she  had  really  once  or 
twice  made  the  attempt,  Katie,  as  we  know, 
gave  her  no  encouragement,  refusing  to  answer 
when  she  spoke  to  her. 

“ I have  been  going  wrong  for  some  time,” 
she  continued,  “and  I am  afraid  you  have  found 
me  cross  and  disagreeable  ; but  I mean  to  try 
and  be  better  now.  Can’t  I help  you  a little 
with  your  lessons  ? ” 

Again  Bertie  looked  astonished.  She  was 
touched  by  her  companion’s  humility,  but  she 
did  not  know  how  to  express  her  feelings,  and 
so,  being  rather  confused,  she  said  nothing. 

Poor  Bertie  was  full  of  her  own  troubles  by 
this  time.  She  was  completely  involved  in  the 


BREAKING  RULES . 


191 

toils  of  Amelia  Bascom,  who  had  somehow  man- 
aged to  make  of  her  a perfect  slave.  She  knew 
she  ought  not  to  assist  another  girl  to  break 
rules  and  carry  on  a clandestine  correspondence 
with  boys,  — a thing  she  would  not  have  done 
on  her  own  account  for  any  consideration ; but 
Amelia  ruled  her  completely,  and  between 
threats  of  exposure  for  what  she  had  already 
done,  and  promises  of  all  sorts  of  pleasant  times 
and  good  things  in  the  future,  she  led  her  to 
commit  herself  more  and  more,  and  effectually 
sealed  her  mouth  and  prevented  her  seeking 
help  and  advice  of  any  one,  or  even  telling  Ka- 
tie, as  she  was  often  inclined  to  do. 

She  came  very  near  doing  so  upon  the  pres- 
ent occasion,  but  the  remembrance  of  her  acted 
lie  prevented  her ; for  not  only  had  she  virtu- 
ally denied  to  Amelia  having  worked  in  the  paper- 
mill  herself,  but  before  all  that  crowd  of  girls  she 
had  allowed  it  to  appear  that  she  had  not  done 
so,  although  Katie  had,  thus  adding  meanness  to 
untruth.  The  latter  offence  was  bad  enough, 
but  she  sincerely  hoped  that  her  room-mate 
would  never  find  out  the  former.  Then,  too, 
she  was  sure  that  Amelia  knew  the  exact  state 


192  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOOD. 


of  the  case,  and  on  any  attempt  to  disobey  or 
expose  her  would  explain  it,  to  the  amusement 
of  the  girls  and  the  indignation  of  Sophronia,( 
who  had  sworn  never  to  forgive  her  if  through 
her  means  the  terrible  secret  came  to  light. 

And  so  the  poor  girl  went  on,  carrying  a bur- 
den which  was  becoming  heavier  day  by  day, 
and  which  she  could  not  cast  upon  him  who  is 
able  and  willing  to  bear  all  our  burdens,  because 
at  the  bottom  of  it  lay  a lie,  and  he  “ desireth 
truth  in  the  inward  parts.” 

Amelia  was  carrying  on  her  “fun”  to  the 
utmost  possible  extent.  Scarcely  a day  passed 
but  she  sent  Bertie  with  some  message  or  note 
to  the  young  gentleman,  who  considered  his 
flirtation  with  “the  Glenwood  girl  ” an  exceed- 
ingly manly  thing,  which  added  greatly  to  his 
importance  among  his  companions.  She  had 
managed  to  send  him  a photograph  of  herself  in 
return  for  one  of  his,  which  Bertie  had  brought 
her.  The  possession  of  this  was  alternately  a 
triumph  when  she  showed  it  to  the  other  girls 
of  her  set,  and  a cause  of  torment  lest  it  should 
be  discovered  by  some  of  the  teachers.  Her 
photograph  he  would  occasionally  hold  up  in  a 


BREAKING  RULES . 


193 


tantalizing  manner,  laying  his  hand  on  his  heart 
and  making  all  manner  of  ridiculous  gestures, 
when,  as  was  usually  the  case,  the  boarders  en- 
countered him  upon  their  daily  processional  walk. 

These  walks  began  to  make  Bertie  exceedingly 
nervous.  Amelia  always  insisted  upon  walk- 
ing with  her,  and,  depending  upon  her  secrecy, 
played  the  handkerchief  game,  made  signs  and 
gestures  most  unsuitable  for  the  public  streets, 
even  kissing  her  hand  to  the  young  exquisite, 
who,  in  return,  made  the  most  extravagant  signs 
of  devotion.  Only  two  very  little  girls  walked 
behind  Amelia  and  her  companion,  and  they  did 
not  at  all  understand  what  was  going  on,  but 
Bertie  was  constantly  afraid  that  some  of  those 
in  front  would  turn  round ; or,  worse  still, 
that  the  teacher,  who  walked  in  front  with 
Katie  or  some  one  of  the  “ good  girls,”  would 
find  out  what  was  going  on. 

But  this  state  of  things  could  not  go  on  for- 
ever. It  was  strange  that  Amelia,  upon  whom 
suspicion  already  rested,  could  have  carried  out 
her  plans  so  long  without  being  detected.  It 
was  only  Bertie’s  connivance  that  enabled  her 
to  do  so. 


194  THREE  YEARS  AT  G LEA  WOOD. 

One  morning  the  young  gentleman  held  up 
to  view  a larger  photograph  than  usual,  and 
both  girls  saw,  to  their  horror,  that  the  artist' 
had  combined  Amelia's  picture  with  his  own  in 
a way  possible  to  modern  photography  ! Even 
Amelia  turned  pale  with  horror,  and  in  answer 
to  her  frantic  gestures  he  slid  the  picture  into 
his  pocket.  In  the  afternoon  Bertie  was  de- 
spatched to  one  of  the  usual  places  of  rendez- 
vous, — there  were  several,  to  avoid  detection, — 
with  an  urgent  note,  insisting  upon  the  giving 
up  or  the  destruction  of  the  picture,  which, 
should  it  be  discovered,  would  so  compromise 
the  writer. 

“Tell  your  friend,"  said  the  young  man,  very 
coolly,  putting  the  note  into  his  pocket,  “ that  I 
have  been  at  very  great  trouble  and  expense  in 
having  that  photograph  made,  and  I certainly 
will  not  have  it  destroyed.  I might,  perhaps, 
give  it  into  her  own  hands,  but  I will  not  give 
it  to  any  messenger."  (“  I have  two  more 
copies,"  he  added  to  himself.) 

“ But  Amelia  is  not  allowed  to  go  out " said 
Bertie,  “ except  with  one  of  the  teachers." 

“ Nonsense  ! She  can  get  out  if  she  likes ; she 


BREAKING  RULES. 


195 


has  done  so  several  mornings,  as  you  know. 
Teachers  have  no  right  to  imprison  young 
ladies,  and  if  they  make  unjust  rules,  they  must 
expect  not  to  have  them  obeyed.  At  any  rate 
I do  not  give  my  favors  for  nothing.  Tell  Miss 
Amelia  that  if  she  will  meet  me  just  round  the 
corner  at  half-past  seven  to-night,  I will  give 
her  the  picture,  but  not  else.  I am  sure  she 
can  manage  it.  You  can  help  her,  as  you  al- 
ways do.,, 

It  is  a proof  that  Bertie  Sanderson  was  only  a 
silly,  easily-influenced  girl,  and  neither  a vain 
nor  a bad  one,  that  it  never  entered  into  her 
head  to  resent  being  treated  merely  as  a messen- 
ger. It  never  occurred  to  her  to  expect  the 
same  kind  of  attentions  that  were  bestowed 
upon  Amelia,  and  her  own  innate  dignity  would 
have  resented  them  had  they  been  offered.  In 
her  heart  she  despised  Amelia,  even  while  com- 
promising herself  to  carry  out  her  companion’s 
plans.  As  to  the  young  exquisite,  when  one  of 
his  friends  asked  him  why  he  did  n’t  flirt  with 
the  girl  who  came  to  him  instead  of  the  one 
who  did  not,  he  shrugged  his  shoulders  and 
said,  “ I prefer  pretty  girls  to  frights ; besides 


196  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

she  isn’t  one  of  the  kind.”  Bertie,  having  de- 
livered her  message  just  before  tea-time,  maide 
great  efforts  to  prevail  upon  her  companion  not 
to  accede  to  the  young  man’s  request.  It 
would  be  an  exceedingly  dangerous  thing  to  do ; 
involving  as  it  did  a direct  disobedience  to  the 
general  rule  which  forbade  any  one’s  going  out 
after  tea,  and  the  particular  one  which  prevented 
Amelia’s  doing  so  alone  at  any  time.  She  re- 
presented how  extremely  difficult  it  would  be 
either  to  get  out  or  in,  without  detection,  at 
a time  when  all  the  boarders  were  over  at  the 
Institute  studying  to-morrow’s  lessons,  and 
only  teachers  and  servants  round. 

“ That  ’ll  make  it  all  the  easier,”  said  Amelia. 
“ Miss  Pauline  (the  French  teacher)  will  be  in  her 
own  room  as  usual.  Miss  Manton  (the  drawing 
teacher),  you  know,  has  several  private  pupils  in 
hers, — girls  who  can’t  find  time  for  their  lessons 
in  the  day-time.  Miss  Perry  never  thinks  about 
us  when  meal-times  are  over.  Miss  Thornton 
will  be  at  the  Institute  with  the  girls,  and  the 
servants  will  be  down  taking  their  tea.  I can 
manage  it  just  as  well  as  not  if  you  ’ll  only 
help  me  a little  bit.  If  you  don’t  choose  to  I 


BREAKING  RULES. 


19  7 


know  who  will.  I have  plenty  of  friends.  But 
I know  what  I know,  and  I don’t  care  to  go  on 
keeping  secrets  for  a girl  who  won’t  take  just  a 
little  trouble  for  me.” 

“ Why,  you  know,  Amelia” — began  Bertie  de- 
precatingly,  — 

“ Yes,  I know,  you  ’ve  carried  a scrap  of  pa- 
per once  in  a while  for  me  when  you  were  going 
out  anyway,  and  you ’ve  done  a little  shopping 
for  me  because  I ’m  so  unjustly  shut  up  ; but 
you ’ve  been  paid  for  it  with  candy  and  lots  of 
things,  to  say  nothing  of  your  share  of  the 
fun.  This  is  a real  lark  now,  and  I should 
think  you ’d  like  to  go  in  for  it.” 

“ Well,  I would  n’t,”  said  Bertie  shortly,  though 
knowing  she  should  have  to  yield.  “ I ’m  afraid.” 

“ Afraid  of  what  ? of  getting  your  own  pre- 
cious self  into  trouble?  Never  fear,  Bertie; 
nobody  ’ll  suspect  the  boys  of  admiring  your 
ugly  face.  But  I really  did  n’t  think  you  were 
so  selfish.  Just  think  of  me!  If  that  horrid 
picture  gets  into  anybody’s  hands  and  they 
make  a fuss  and  get  hold  of  my  notes,  what  do 
you  suppose  will  become  of  me  ? If  you  cared 
anything  about  me,  you ’d  give  me  a chance  to 


198  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


get  it  back.  I promise  you  I ’ll  never  have  any- 
thing  more  to  do  with  the  fellow  when  I do. 
I 'm  half  tired  of  him  already/' 

“ What  do  you  want  me  to  do  ? ” said  Bertie, 
relenting. 

“ Nothing  in  the  world  except  to  open  and  shut 
the  door  when  no  one  is  looking.  That  won't 
compromise  you  half  as  much  as  what  you  have 
done  already."  The  two  girls  then,  having  rap- 
idly planned  operations,  separated,  Bertie  going 
over  as  usual  to  the  Institute  to  study,  purposely, 
however,  forgetting  to  take  her  geography. 

Amelia  went  to  Miss  Thornton  and  said, 
with  a very  sweet  face,  “ I don't  feel  very  well 
this  evening,  my  head  aches  a little.  Will  you 
please  excuse  me  from  the  study  hours,  and  let 
me  go  to  my  room  ? I learned  some  of  my  lessons 
in  school  to-day,  and  I think  I can  make  up 
the  others  to-morrow." 

The  teacher  looked  at  her  searchingly,  but 
could  see  nothing  wrong,  for  girls  do  have  head- 
aches, and  Amelia  was  as  liable  to  have  one  as 
any  one  else,  even  if  she  was  under  suspicion. 
She  gave  the  required  permission,  adding 
kindly,  — 


BREAKING  RULES. 


199 


“ Don’t  try  to  read  or  study,  dear.  Go  right 
to  bed  and  you  will  feel  better  in  the  morning.” 
“ Yes,  ma’am/'  said  Amelia  sweetly,  and  went 
up-stairs. 

In  about  half  an  hour,  that  is  a few  moments 
before  half-past  seven,  Bertie  suddenly  said, — 

“ I 've  forgotten  my  geography,  Miss  Thorn- 
ton. May  I run  over  to  the  house  and  get  it  ? '' 
“Take  mine,”  said  Katie. 

“ Yours  is  the  ‘ Higher/  mine  's  only  the  ‘ In- 
termediate.' May  I go,  Miss  Thornton  ? ” 

The  teacher  nodded,  saying,  — 

“ Don't  be  so  careless  another  time,”  adding, 
as  she  left  the  room,  — “ While  you  're  over,  go 
and  ask  how  Miss  Bascom’s  headache  is.” 

“Yes,  ma'am,”  said  Bertie,  and  went. 

It  was  still  quite  light  this  long  spring  day, 
and  as  she  ran  lightly  through  the  garden  she 
saw  the  well-known  boyish  form  just  outside  of 
the  bars.  He  motioned  something  with  his 
mouth  which  she  thought  meant  “ Is  she  com- 
ing?” and  she  signalled  back  “Yes.” 

Entering  the  hall  she  found  Amelia  ready  to 
go  out,  but  having  on  her  own  hat  and  wrap. 

“ You  will  forgive  me  for  borrowing,  I am 


200  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

sure/’  she  said.  “ I thought  it  would  be  a little 
less  awkward  if  anybody  was  to  see  me.  Quick, 
now  ! bolt  the  door  and  watch.  I 'll  give  a low 
whistle  outside,  and  if  there  's  nobody  within 
sight  or  hearing,  open  the  door  quickly.  If 
there  is  any  one  you  whistle  back  again  and  I 'll 
wait.  If  there's  danger  of  any  one's  coming 
out  and  finding  me,  whistle  twice,  and  I 'll 
hide." 

So  saying  she  cautiously  slid  back  the  bolt  of 
the  hall-door  and  turned  the  key  ; then  quietly 
slipping  out,  ran  down  the  steps,  while  her  ac- 
complice succeeded  in  closing  and  fastening  the 
lock  without  having  been  perceived.  She  won- 
dered, as  she  went  up-stairs  for  her  geography, 
the  ostensible  object  of  her  trip  to  “the  house," 
why  it  would  be  less  “ awkward  " for  Amelia  to 
be  caught  in  her  hat  and  wrap  rather  than  in 
her  own,  since  all  the  girls  were  alike  forbidden 
to  go  out  of  the  house  after  tea.  Events  proved 
Amelia's  reasoning  good. 

Bertie  got  her  geography,  noticing  at  the 
same  time  that  Amelia  had  considerably  de- 
ranged her  closet  and  drawers  in  borrowing 
berthings.  She  was  not  particularly  tidy,  — a 


BREAKING  RULES. 


20! 


fact  which  often  gave  considerable  trouble  to 
Katie  — and  did  not  stop  to  put  things  in  order, 
being,  in  truth,  afraid  to  miss  Amelia’s  whistle. 

It  had  been  arranged  that  the  latter  would  be 
only  a few  moments  absent,  as  she  had  only  to 
go  to  the  corner  and  recover  the  picture,  and 
her  accomplice  waited  anxiously  for  the  signal, 
looking  round  carefully  all  the  while  to  see  that 
the  coast  was  clear. 

She  waited  five,  ten,  fifteen  minutes,  every 
nerve  strained  to  its  utmost.  Then  she  heard  a 
step  on  the  stairs,  and  shrank  back  into  the 
darkest  corner  of  the  hall  while  Mademoiselle 
Pauline  passed  down  and  went  into  Miss  Perry’s 
room,  closing  the  door  after  her. 

Bertie  became  anxious.  At  any  moment  the 
French  teacher  might  come  out  again,  and  she 
be  caught  in  the  very  act  of  opening  the  door. 
She  listened  again  and  again.  No  whistle  came. 
She  opened  the  door  cautiously  and  looked  out 
into  the  gathering  night.  No  one  was  in  sight. 
She  closed  it  and  waited  again  in  an  agony  of 
impatience.  At  length  the  great  clock  in  the 
hall  struck  eight,  and  not  daring  to  remain 
from  the  study-room  any  longer,  she  ran  across 


202  THREE  YEARS  A T GLEN  WOOD. 

the  garden,  and  took  her  place  with  a very  red 
face. 

Several  girls  looked  up  curiously,  and  Miss 
Thornton  said,  — 

“It  took  you  a long  time  to  find  your  geogra- 
phy, Miss  Sanderson.  Oh,  I remember!  you 
went  to  look  after  Miss  Bascom,  and,  I suppose, 
forgot  yourself  talking  to  her.  How  is  her 
head?” 

“Better,”  muttered  Bertie,  with  an  intense 
sensation  of  relief  at  having  got  off  so  easily. 

Amelia  Bascom  went  down  the  steps  with 
mingled  feelings.  The  mystery  of  the  thing 
was  delightful  in  itself;  the  sense  of  a grown- 
up adventure  of  this  sort  still  more  so.  Even 
the  pleasure  of  going  out  alone  for  the  first 
time  in  so  many  months  was  great ; and  it  was 
greatly  added  to  by  the  consciousness  of  suc- 
cessfully baffling  the  “ dragons  of  teachers.” 
She  almost  wished  the  excursion  was  to  be 
a longer  one,  but  of  course  she  only  intended 
to  secure  the  photograph  and  at  once  return. 
If  her  conscience,  which  was  not  yet  quite  dead, 
gave  her  any  uneasy  suggestions,  she  took  care 
to  stifle  them,,  and  walked  rapidly  down  the 
street 


BREAKING  RULES . 


203 


She  did  not  find  the  object  of  her  search  as 
near  the  corner  as  she  expected.  Indeed,  he 
wanted  to  see,  — and  boast  to  his  foolish  com- 
panions, when  he  told  the  whole  as  a good  joke 
on  “a  boarding-school  girl,” — how  far  she  would 
follow  him.  When  she  did  reach  him  about  half 
way  down  the  block,  she  exclaimed,  almost 
breathlessly,  — 

“ Give  me  the  photograph,  quickly.  I must 
get  back  before  I am  missed.” 

“ It  is  here,”  said  he,  taking  out  a handful  of 
cards  from  his  pocket.  “ Stay,  I can’t  tell  which  it 
is  in  the  dark.  Come  down  there  to  that  light- 
ed window.” 

She  followed  him,  saying  as  she  did  so,  — 

“ I am  seriously  displeased  with  you  for  hav- 
ing it  taken  so.” 

“ Are  you,  now  ? That ’s  cruel.  And  yet  I 
should  n’t  have  thought  so  ; you  put  mine  close 
to  your  heart,”  which  had  been  one  of  Amelia’s 
silly  performances  on  one  of  the  morning  prom- 
enades. 

“ Oh,  this  is  different.  If  it  was  to  be  found 
out,  people  would  think  I ’d  been  with  you  to 
have  it  taken.” 


204  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENW00D . 

“ I wish  you  had;”  said  he,  “that  would  be 
such  fun.  I hope  you  will  some  time.” 

Amelia  simpered  and  looked  foolish,  but  she 
was  really  anxious  to  get  back,  and  she  said,  — 
“ Please  make  haste  and  give  me  the  picture.” 
“ I wonder  if  I can  have  left  it  at  home,”  he 
said,  fumbling  in  his  pocket.  “ Come  in  to  this 
store,”  — leading  her  into  the  open  door  near 
which  she  stood,  — “ it ’s  lighter,  I can  see 
better.  By  the  by,  who  helped  you  to  get  out, 
and  who ’s  going  to  help  you  get  in  again  ? — your 
usual  messenger  ? ” Amelia  nodded.  “ She 
can  be  trusted,  can’t  she?  She’ll  wait.” 

“ I suppose  so.” 

“ Oh,  then  it ’s  all  right.  I ’ll  find  it  in  a 
moment.  Just  sit  down,”  — and  he  pushed  her 
to  a seat  by  one  of  the  marble  tables,  saying 
grandly  to  a passing  waiter,  — 

“Two  ice-creams,  please,  vanilla  and  straw- 
berry,— you  like  ice-cream,  of  course  ? ” 

“Yes,  very  much,”  said  Amelia,  “but  — ” 

“ Never  mind  the  buts ; that  girl  friend  of 
yours  is  to  be  depended  upon ; you  told  me  she 
was  in  one  of  your  notes.  She  ’ll  take  care  that 
nothing  happens.” 


BREAKING  RULES. 


20$ 


“Oh,  those  notes,”  said  the  girl,  suddenly. 
“ I hope  you  have  torn  them  all  up.” 

“ Do  you  think  I could  destroy  anything  so 
precious  ? No,  they  are  all  here,  close  to  my 
heart.” 

“ Do,  please,  give  them  back  to  me,  with  the 
picture.” 

By  this  time  the  ice-cream  had  come,  and  he 
pushed  one  saucer  towards  her,  commencing 
vigorously  upon  the  other  himself. 

“I  must  go,”  said  she,  making  one  more 
effort,  but  he  said,  — 

“Nonsense;  it’s  ordered  and  it’s  got  to  be 
eaten.  It  won’t  take  a minute,  anyway.” 

And  so  many  minutes  slipped  away.  Amelia 
was  fond  of  ice-cream  ; what  school-girl  is  not  ? 
But  she  enjoyed  infinitely  more  the  consequence 
of  being  taken  to  an  ice-cream  saloon  by  a 
young  man,  and  sitting  there  alone  with  him 
quite  as  if  she  were  grown  up.  It  would  be 
something  to  tell  the  girls  when  she  got  home, 
about  her  doings  at  boarding-school.  It  proved 
that  she  was  not  a baby,  in  spite  of  her  impris- 
onment by  “the  dragons.” 

Something  of  this  she  managed  to  impart  to 


20 6 THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


her  companion,  even  while  attempting  to  appear 
quite  grown  up,  and  as  if  going  to  restaurants 
with  young  men  in  the  evening  was  a common 
occurrence  in  her  life,  and  he  laughed  merrily, 
and  then  produced  the  letters  and  the  photo- 
graph, asking  her  how  much  she  would  give  for 
them,  showing  her  how  cunningly  the  photog- 
rapher had  put  the  two  pictures  into  one  focus, 
and  made  it  appear  as  though  both  had  sat  for 
them  together. 

Suddenly  the  City  Hall  clock  struck  eight, 
and  Amelia,  saying,  “ I cannot  stop  another  mo- 
ment,M started  up,  and,  quite  forgetting  letters 
and  photographs,  ran  home  as  quickly  as  she 
could.  Almost  too  much  out  of  breath  to  do  it, 
she  gave  the  whistle  agreed  upon,  but  there  was 
no  response.  Again  she  tried  it,  with  the  same 
result,  and  then  began  to  wonder  what  she  should 
do.  Bertie  had  evidently  not  dared  to  wait  any 
longer,  and  had  left  her  to  her  fate.  She  was 
locked  out,  and  any  attempt  at  being  admitted 
in  the  ordinary  way  would  reveal  her  secret. 
For  a few  moments  she  was  very  much  fright- 
ened, and  would  have  given  a great  deal  to  be 
once  more  safely  in  her  own  room. 


BREAKING  RULES . 


207 


But  by  this  time  her  late  companion  was  by 
her  side.  He  had  only  waited  to  pay  for  the 
ice-cream,  and  had  then  followed  at  a discreet 
distance  to  see  the  end  of  the  fun.  Coming  up 
the  steps  now,  he  whispered, — 

“ Don't  stand  here  making  a noise.  The 
girls  will  be  going  in  from  their  study  hour  at 
nine,  — I know  all  their  ways.  Then  I will  help 
you  over  the  garden  railing,  and  you  can  go  in 
with  them  and  no  one  will  know.  In  the  mean- 
while, let ’s  go  and  take  a walk.” 

It  was  a delightful  plan,  which  promised  to 
put  an  end  to  all  embarrassments ; for,  of  course, 
Bertie  would  not  for  her  own  sake  tell  any  one 
that  she  was  out,  and  she  had  no  fear  of  being 
missed  from  her  room,  as  she  was  supposed  to 
have  gone  to  bed,  and  had  no  room-mate.  So 
she  made  the  most  of  her  opportunity,  and 
greatly  enjoyed  her  promenade  along  the  lighted 
streets,  looking  into  the  brilliant  windows  and 
listening  to  and  talking  the  nonsense  which  only 
sixteen  and  seventeen  are  competent  to  invent. 
Both  agreed  that  they  were  having  a delightful 
time,  and  that  they  would  often  repeat  the  plea- 
sure. Amelia,  in  her  enjoyment  of  this  added 


208  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOOD. 

pleasure,  quite  got  over  her  anger  against  Ber- 
tie for  not  having  waited  for  her.  And  neither 
gave  one  other  thought  to  the  photograph  or 
the  letters. 

At  a few  moments  before  nine,  Amelia  was 
carefully  helped  over  the  low  iron  railing  of  the 
Institute  garden,  and,  standing  in  the  shadow  of 
the  side  door,  joined  the  boarders  when  they 
passed  out,  handing  Bertie  her  hat  and  sacque 
as  she  did  so. 

Bertie  started  and  gave  a look  of  surprise,  but 
Amelia  whispered,  — 

“ I ’ll  tell  you  all  about  it  to-morrow.  Had  a 
splendid  time,”  and  slipped  unobserved  to  her 
room. 

Miss  Thornton  stopped  at  the  door  a few 
moments  afterwards,  but  seeing  everything  dark 
and  hearing  no  sound,  concluded  that  the  “ poor 
girl  ” was  sleeping  off  her  headache,  and  would 
not  disturb  her  by  going  in. 

“ What  made  you  wear  your  hat  over  to  the 
Institute  to-night  ? ” said  Katie,  as  Bertie  threw 
her  wraps  upon  the  bed  ; “it  was  n’t  cold.” 

Bertie  muttered  something  about  “night  air,” 
and  hurried  her  preparations  for  bed. 


BREAKING  RULES. 


209 


u What  a muss  you  do  keep  your  things  in,” 
said  the  orderly  room-mate ; then  fearing  she 
had  seemed  unkind  or  domineering,  which  she 
had  determined  not  to  be  now,  she  added, — 
“ Never  mind;  I suppose  you  turned  them  up  in 
hunting  for  your  geography  and  were  in  too 
much  of  a hurry  to  put  them  back,  Here,  I ’ll 
help  you,” — which  she  did,  and  Bertie  said 
never  a word. 

Katie  went  to  bed  at  once  that  night.  Since 
her  talk  with  Mrs.  Lome  she  had  not  sat  up 
late  to  study.  She  was  trying  to  do  all  things 
“ to  the  glory  of  God,”  and,  as  a part  of  the 
“all  things,”  to  take  good  care  of  the  body 
which  He  had  given  her.  So,  although  she 
would  have  dearly  loved  to  go  once  more  over 
the  subject  on  which  she  was  to  pass  an  exami- 
nation for  promotion  to-morrow,  she  resolutely 
closed  her  book,  resolving  to  get  up  early  in  the 
morning  instead ; which,  we  may  remark  in 
passing,  she  did,  and,  finding  she  could  accom- 
plish twice  as  much  in  half  an  hour  of  morning 
freshness  as  in  an  hour  of  jaded  weariness  at 
night,  made  a practice  of  the  same,  and  continued 
it  till  the  examinations  were  over  and  the  vacation 
had  come. 


210  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

Of  course  just  before  retiring  she  knelt  for 
her  evening  prayer.  She  had  more  to  say  to 
her  heavenly  Father  now  than  a few  weeks 
ago  and  more  pleasure  in  saying  it,  and  before 
she  had  finished,  Bertie  was  asleep.  As  she 
rose  from  her  knees  she  was  surprised  to  see 
her  door  open,  and  Miss  Pauline  put  in  her 
head.  The  teachers,  of  course,  had  a right  to 
come  into  the  rooms  of  their  pupils  at  any  hour 
of  the  day  or  night,  and  the  possibility  that 
they  might  do  so  proved  in  some  cases  a salu- 
tary restraint,  but  they  rarely  exercised  the 
privilege,  and  Katie  was  somewhat  surprised  to 
see  Miss  Pauline. 

“ I came  to  see  if  your  light  was  out,”  she 
said.  “ Where  is  Miss  Sanderson  ? Oh  ! I see  ; 
all  right,”  and  she  closed  the  door.  Katie  won- 
dered why  she  asked  for  “ Miss  Sanderson,”  but 
soon  lost  her  wonder  in  a dreamless  sleep. 


MADEMOISELLE  PAULINE'S  THEORY.  21  j 


CHAPTER  XII. 

MADEMOISELLE  PAULINE’S  THEORY. 

ADEMOISELLE  PAULINE  was  not 
a favorite  with  the  girls.  A few  of 
them  liked  her,  and  she  made  pets  of  a 
few,  of  which,  strange  to  say,  Amelia  Bascom 
was  one.  She  was  thoroughly  French  in  her 
nature  and  disposition,  liking  what  was  pretty 
and  gay,  and  detesting  what  was  ugly  and  un- 
graceful. She  liked  also  a little  bit  of  romance 
and  intrigue,  and  had  quite  sympathized  with 
Amelia,  who,  by  the  by,  was  her  best  French 
scholar,  in  the  disgrace  into  which  she  had 
fallen  at  the  close  of  the  last  year,  and  the  con- 
sequent restrictions  under  which  she  was  now 
placed.  She  did  not  like  either  Bertie  or  Katie, 
the  former,  because  she  was  ugly  and  ungraceful, 
the  latter,  because  her  spiritual  nature  was  above 
the  plane  of  the  lively  French  woman.  More- 
over Mademoiselle  Pauline  was  of  a very  curious. 


212  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


investigating  nature,  and  the  girls  instinctively 
felt  that  if  they  had  any  secrets  which  they  desired 
to  have  kept,  they  had  better  not  let  the  French 
conversation-teacher  get  any  clue  to  them. 

On  the  evening,  the  events  of  which  we  have 
narrated  so  minutely,  Mademoiselle  Pauline  sat  at 
the  window  of  her  room,  which  happened  to  be 
in  the  front  of  the  house,  and  saw  to  her  surprise, 
some  one,  not  a teacher,  go  down  the  front 
steps,  walk  rapidly  along  the  street,  and  disap- 
pear around  the  corner.  She  could  not  see  the 
face  which  was  turned  in  the  opposite  direction, 
and  in  the  gathering  twilight  she  failed  to 
notice  the  long,  light  curls,  which  unmistak- 
ably marked  Amelia  Bascom.  But  she  did 
distinctly  see  the  hat  and  wrap,  and  her  French 
eye  for  dress  at  once  told  her  that  they  were 
those  with  which  she  was  familiar,  as  morning 
after  morning  they  appeared  upon  the  person 
of  Bertie  Sanderson.  What  could  this  ugly 
girl  be  wanting  to  break  rules  for  ? Surely  no 
one  would  flirt  with  her.  There  must  be  some 
mystery.  She  could  only  be  the  emissary  of  some 
one  else.  She  waited  patiently  some  little  time 
for  the  figure  to  return,  and  when  it  did  not, 


MADEMOISELLE  PAULINES  THEORY.  2\% 

went  quietly  down  stairs  and  tried  the  front 
door.  To  her  surprise,  it  was  locked  and  bolted. 
“Aha!”  thought  she ; “that  door  could  not  fasten 
itself ; nor  could  it  have  been  fastened  from  the 
outside.  There  must  be  two  of  them  — who  is  the 
other?  No  doubt  the  pious  Miss  Robertson* 
So  much  for  cant ! I always  doubt  those  girls 
who  set  themselves  up  to  be  so  much  better 
than  their  companions.  This  must  be  looked 
into ; we  shall  see.”  And  so  saying,  she  knocked 
at  Miss  Perry’s  door  and  went  in,  as  we  have 
seen,  while  Bertie  stood  hidden  in  the  dark 
shadows. 

Miss  Perry,  while  she  did  not  seem  to  con- 
cern herself  with  her  boarders  beyond  supplying 
their  temporal  wants,  was  nevertheless  a wide- 
awake woman,  and  greatly  concerned  for  the 
reputation  of  her  house  as  well  as  for  her  own 
reputation  as  a careful  guardian.  She  listened 
attentively  to  Miss  Pauline’s  story,  and  saw  that 
something  must  be  done  at  once  ; but  she  ad- 
vised great  caution,  and  that  pains  should  be 
taken  to  come  into  full  possession  of  the  facts 
before  any  steps  were  taken.  Even  then  great 
care  must  be  exercised  not  to  make  the  matter 


214  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

so  public  as  to  compromise  the  boarding-house 
in  the  eyes  of  parents  and  the  world.  Miss  Perry 
added  that,  after  all,  there  might  be  some  mis- 
take. Bertie  Sanderson,  indeed,  was  one  of 
those  weak  characters  ready  to  be  led  by  any 
one  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  lead  them,  but 
Katie  Robertson  was  a totally  different  kind  of 
girl.  She  could  hardly  think  of  her  in  connec- 
tion with  anything  but  accurate  scholarship  and 
correct  deportment.  They  must  be  very  cautious 
how  they  acted. 

Miss  Pauline  did  not  quite  agree  with  her 
elder  as  to  a girl’s  general  character  preventing 
her  committing  occasional  acts  of  indiscretion, 
and  the  two  conversed  so  long  that  it  was 
quarter  past  eight  before  they  were  ready  for 
action.  By  this  time,  as  the  reader  knows, 
Bertie  Sanderson  had  gone  back  to  her  studies, 
and  Amelia,  having  whistled  and  waited  for  the 
door  to  open  in  vain,  had  gone  off  on  her  moon- 
light walk.  Had  the  conversation  been  finished 
a few  moments  earlier,  the  door  would  have 
been  opened,  and  the  delinquent  would  have 
fallen  into  the  arms  of  Miss  Perry  and  Miss 
Pauline.  A few  moments  later,  a most  unusual 


MADEMOISELLE  PAULINES  THEORY.  215 

thing  happened.  The  French  governess  from 
“ the  house  ” dropped  into  the  study-room  at 
the  Institute,  and  sat  down  to  have  a little  chat 
with  Miss  Thornton.  The  latter,  whose  only 
duties  during  the  study  hours  were  those  of 
general  supervision,  was  on  the  whole  rather 
glad  of  the  diversion,  and  talked  pleasantly  in 
a low  tone,  her  visitor  showing  her  a little 
French  poem,  which  she  said  she  greatly  ad- 
mired. 

“ I do  not  like  it,”  said  the  elder  teacher, 
who  was  a perfect  French  scholar;  “ that  line 
is  not  true,  nor  that  sentiment.” 

“Oh!”  said  the  French  girl,  shrugging  her 
shoulders,  “I  did  not  say  it  was.  No  ! it  is  not 
true,  but  is  it  not  pretty  ? ” 

“I  do  not  see  beauty  where  there  is  no  truth,” 
said  Miss  Thornton.  “ I prefer  truth  to  beauty, 
and  even  to  mental  brilliancy ; but  we  have  one 
pupil  here  who  seems  to  me  in  a remarkable 
degree  to  combine  all  three.  I think  Katie 
Robertson  will  yet  make  her  mark.” 

Miss  Pauline  looked  across  the  room  and  ac- 
knowledged to  herself  that  it  was  hard  to  con- 
nect any  wrong-doing  with  the  fair,  graceful, 


21 6 THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEMVOOD. 


open-faced  girl  now  studying  so  diligently.  At 
the  same  moment  she  saw  Bertie,  who,  to  her 
surprise,  was  in  her  place  and  studying  as  assid- 
uously as  Katie  herself,  though  her  usual  color 
was  somewhat  heightened. 

“ Do  the  girls  never  leave  the  room  during 
study  hours,”  said  she.  “ I thought  I heard 
some  one  rushing  up-stairs  a little  while  ago.” 

“ Miss  Sanderson  went  over  for  her  geogra- 
phy, which  she  had  carelessly  forgotten.” 

“ She  was  gone  a long  time,  was  she  not  ? ” 
asked  the  visitor,  in  a meaning  tone. 

“Yes,  I believe  she  was  ; but  as  I had  asked 
her  to  do  an  errand  for  me  I did  n’t  think  much 
of  it.” 

“ Was  your  errand  out  of  doors  ? ” 

“No,  certainly  not.  The  girls  are  never  al- 
lowed to  go  in  the  street  after  tea,  and  I should 
not  have  thought  of  sending  her.  What  do  you 
mean  ? ” 

“ I am  not  at  liberty  to  explain  ; you  will  hear 
all  about  it  some  time.  Good-night,”  and  the 
visitor  took  her  leave. 

“ She  was  not  gone  long,  then,”  thought  Miss 
Pauline.  “ As  I supposed  she  was  only  a messen- 


MADEMOISELLE  PAULINE'S  THEORY.  21 7 


ger ; but  how  did  she  get  in  ? Katie  Robertson 
has  evidently  not  left  her  place.  I must  see  the 
end  of  this  mystery.’' 

As  a farther  step  to  the  solution  she  watched 
the  girls  as  they  came  up-stairs,  and  was  con- 
firmed in  her  suspicions  by  seeing  Bertie’s  hat 
and  wrap,  as  since  the  warm  spring  weather  had 
come  it  was  not  thought  necessary  to  put  on 
outside  garments  when  crossing  the  narrow  gar- 
den path  to  the  Institute.  In  order  still  farther 
to  satisfy  herself,  she  looked  in  at  the  girls  on 
her  way  to  her  own  room,  and  was  a little  scan- 
dalized to  find  the  culprit  of  her  imagination 
on  her  knees.  Her  opinion,  however,  was  not 
changed,  and  she  considered  this  only  a greater 
proof  of  duplicity. 

At  the  close  of  breakfast  the  next  morning, 
Miss  Perry  said,  in  her  usual  dignified  man- 
ner, — 

“ Miss  Robertson  and  Miss  Sanderson  need 
not  join  in  the  promenade  to-day  ; I wish  to 
speak  to  them  in  my  room.” 

There  was  nothing  very  unusual  in  this.  The 
girls  were  frequently  called  into  Miss  Perry’s 
room  to  consult  about  their  wardrobes,  their 


218  three  years  at  glenwood. 

rooms,  or  some  matter  treated  of  in  home  let- 
ters. Scoldings  were  not  common,  at  least 
from  her,  and  no  one  could  be  frightened  at 
such  a summons  ; and  yet,  at  this  moment,  al- 
most every  one  felt  that  something  unusual 
was  about  to  happen.  Bertie,  who  was  a good 
deal  of  a coward,  turned  absolutely  pale,  while, 
had  any  one  been  observing  Amelia,  they  would 
have  seen  that  she  was  blushing  to  the  roots  of 
her  hair,  and  making  every  effort  to  hide  her 
confusion. 

Katie  looked  up  with  a perfectly  unembar- 
rassed air,  and  said,  “ Certainly,  Miss  Perry ; 
shall  we  come  now,  or  will  I have  time  to  in- 
dorse and  fold  my  composition.” 

“ Come  at  once,”  and  she  led  the  way  into 
her  own  room,  where  the  two  girls  follow- 
ing her  found  Mademoiselle  Pauline  already 
seated. 

“Young  ladies,”  said  Miss  Perry,  when  the 
door  was  closed,  “ I do  not  want  to  make  any 
scandal  about  this  sad  affair,  or  to  disgrace  you 
among  your  companions,  so  I have  thought  it 
best  to  call  you  privately  and  inform  you  that 
the  whole  of  last  night’s  proceedings  are  known 


MADEMOISELLE  PAULINE'S  THEORY.  219 

to  us,  and  that  it  will  be  of  no  sort  of  use  for 
you  to  deny  them.,, 

“ What  proceedings  ? ” asked  Katie  in  great 
astonishment. 

“The  encouragement  you  have  given  to  a 
young  gentleman  who  has  been  known  to  follow 
the  young  ladies  in  their  morning  walks  for 
some  time,  and  your  culpable  conduct  in  making 
an  accomplice  of  your  room-mate,  even  to  send- 
ing her  with  some  message  to  him  last  evening, 
and  causing  her  to  disobey  the  rule  about  going 
out  after  tea,”  said  Miss  Pauline. 

She  spoke  in  an  assured  manner.  Having 
pieced  together  her  evidence  and  formed  her 
theory,  which  she  was  sure  was  the  true  one, 
she  wished  to  startle  her  hearer  into  some 
sudden  admission  which  would  prove  it  to  be 
so.  But  Katie  looked  up  in  genuine  astonish- 
ment. 

“ I don’t  understand,”  she  said.  “I  don’t 
know  any  young  gentleman  here.  I never  sent 
Bertie  anywhere,  and  I don’t  believe  she  went 
out  last  night  at  all.” 

“ I did  not”  said  Bertie  emphatically. 

“Young  ladies,”  said  Miss  Perry,  “denials 


220  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEMVOOD. 


will  not  serve  your  purpose.  Miss  Pauline  saw 
Miss  Sanderson  leave  this  house  at  half-past 
seven  o’clock  last  night.  She  did  not  see  her 
come  back,  but  she  ascertained  from  Miss 
Thornton  that  she  had  been  absent  from  the 
study  room  a much  longer  time  than  was  neces- 
sary to  find  her  geography,  and  received  further 
confirmation  by  seeing  her  carry  up  her  hat  and 
sacque,  which  were  totally  unnecessary  to  be 
worn  in  crossing  the  garden  path  this  warm 
night.0 

Katie  started  as  she  remembered  the  hat  and 
the  disarranged  drawers,  but  she  said,  — 

“ I know  nothing  about  it.” 

The  start  of  course  told  against  her,  and  Miss 
Perry  said  coldly, — 

“I  am  sorry,  Miss  Robertson,  to  be  compelled 
to  doubt  your  word.” 

“ She  is  speaking  the  truth,”  said  Bertie, 
eagerly.  “ She  does  not  know  anything  about 
it.” 

“But  you  do,”  said  Miss  Pauline  quickly. 
“Do  you  deny  that  I saw  you  leave  the  house?” 

“ Yes,”  said  Bertie. 

“How  can  you  persist  in  such  a falsehood? 


MADEMOISELLE  PAULINE'S  THEORY,  22  t 


I should  know  your  hat  anywhere.  I tell  you  I 
saw  you  go  down  the  steps  and  as  far  as  the 
corner  of  the  street/’ 

“ How  could  she  get  out  and  in  again  without 
being  seen  ? ” said  Katie,  after  thinking  a while. 
“ Did  you  find  the  door  open  ? ” 

“ No,  and  that  makes  us  sure  that  there  were 
two  in  the  case.  How  she  got  out  and  how  she 
got  in,  you  probably  know.  Bertie  is  not  likely 
to  get  into  a flirtation  upon  her  own  account. 
She  must  be  some  one’s  accomplice.  That 
some  one  can  only  be  you.” 

Miss  Pauline  was  jumping  at  conclusions  in 
the  most  unwarrantable  manner.  Miss  Perry  saw 
it,  but  would  not  reprove  a teacher  before  her 
scholars,  and  she  thought  perhaps  the  real  facts 
might  be  elicited,  but  they  were  not.  Bertie 
persisted  in  denying  that  she  had  been  out,  but 
would  say  no  more  upon  the  subject.  At  the  first 
accusation  of  Katie,  her  indignation  and  native 
generosity  had  prompted  her  to  clear  her  friend  at 
the  expense  of  her  tormentor,  but  a moment’s 
thought  showed  her  how  completely  she  was  in 
the  latter’s  power.  She  could  not  clear  herself 
by  denouncing  Amelia,  for  she  had  again  and 


222  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


again  assisted  the  latter  to  break  not  only  the 
rules  of  the  school,  but  those  of  common  eti- 
quette, by  letting  herself  be  the  medium  of 
a clandestine  correspondence,  and  on  the  very 
evening  in  question  had  given  her  assistance  in 
a flagrant  breach  of  rules  by  means  of  a carefully 
planned  conspiracy.  Should  she  expose  Amelia 
all  this  would  come  out,  and  Amelia  would  tell 
the  terrible  secrets  so  long  kept  about  her.  It 
would  be  known  that  she  was  a factory  girl,  and 
had  lied  in  saying  she  was  not,  and  Sophronia 
would  fulfil  her  threats,  and  Katie  and  all  the  rest 
would  despise  her.  A brave  girl  might  have  faced 
all  this  for  the  sake  of  doing  justice  to  one  whom 
she  really  loved  and  respected  as  much  as  she 
did  Katie.  But  Bertie  was  not  brave,  and  her 
Christian  principle,  never  very  strong,  was  not 
nowadays  strengthened  by  constant  applications 
to  the  Source  of  all  strength.  She  could  not 
sacrifice  herself,  and,  though  she  was  sorry  for 
Katie,  she  refused  to  say  another  word. 

After  waiting  as  long  as  she  could,  consistently 
with  the  rapidly  approaching  school  hour,  Miss 
Perry  said  gravely,  — 

“ Well,  young  ladies,  I had  hoped  that  my 


MADEMOISELLE  PAULINES  THEORY.  22$ 

gentle  and  considerate  way  of  dealing  with  you 
would  have  led  to  greater  openness  on  your  part, 
but  it  seems  I was  mistaken.  I shall  not  punish 
a first  offence  of  this  kind  very  severely. 
Should  a repetition  occur  you  will  be  sent  to 
your  parents  in  disgrace.  For  the  present,  I 
shall  simply  treat  you  as  I am  accustomed  to 
treat  those  who  have  forfeited  their  right  to  be 
trusted.  You  must  not  either  of  you  again 
leave  the  school  enclosure  except  in  company 
with  a teacher.  Your  companions  will,  of 
course,  understand  that  there  is  some  reason 
back  of  this  prohibition,  but  you  may  do  as  you 
like  about  telling  them  what  it  is.  I shall  not 
say  anything  about  the  matter,  and  I request 
you,  Mademoiselle,  not  to  do  so.  I do  not  think 
it  a good  plan  in  a boarding-school  to  give 
matters  of  this  sort  more  publicity  than  can  be 
helped.” 

The  two  girls  then  went  into  school,  and 
during  prayer  time  found  it  hard  to  bring  them- 
selves to  attend  to  what  was  going  on.  Katie 
was  astonished,  sorrowful,  indignant,  especially 
at  having  her  word  doubted.  No  one  likes  to 
be  suspected  of  evil,  or  to  be  treated  as  guilty. 


224  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


But  she  was  conscious  of  complete  innocence, 
and  the  charge  brought  against  her  was  so 
foreign  to  her  whole  nature  that  she  felt  sure  it 
would  sooner  or  later  be  refuted.  So  she  made 
the  public  prayer  season  an  occasion  for  a little 
prayer  of  her  own,  in  which  she  once  more 
“ committed  her  way  unto  the  Lord,”  and  rested 
in  faith  upon  His  power  to  “ bring  it  to  pass,” 
and  to  bring  forth  her  righteousness  as  the  light, 
and  her  judgment  as  noonday.  “ Perhaps,”  she 
thought,  “ I have  been  so  proud  and  thought  so 
much  of  myself  God  has  let  this  thing  come 
upon  me  to  make  and  keep  me  humble.  I will 
try  and  bear  it  the  best  way  that  I can.” 

The  deprivation,  beyond  its  showing  a want 
of  trust,  bore  very  lightly  upon  Katie.  She  had 
never  cared  to  go  out  much,  and  now  that  the 
closing  examinations  were  crowding  so  closely, 
she  was  glad  of  every  extra  moment  she  could 
secure  for  study.  One  or  two  things  were  hard. 
She  could  not  see  and  comfort  poor  little  Lilian, 
as  she  would  have  liked  to  do,  and  she  was 
obliged  to  decline  Mrs.  Lome’s  invitation  to 
spend  another  happy  Sunday  with  her,  on  Miss 
Perry's  authority.  Helen  looked  surprised  when 


MADEMOISELLE  PAULINE'S  THEORY.  225 


the  answer  was  given  her,  but  was  too  well- 
bred  to  ask  any  more  questions,  and  in  the 
meantime  saw  as  much  of  her  new  friend  as  she 
could  in  recess,  and  at  the  opening  and  close  of 
school.  She  was  becoming  very  fond  of  Katie, 
and  wanted  to  make  the  most  of  her  time  before 
the  vacation,  now  so  close  at  hand.  Among  all 
the  girls  with  whom  she  had  been  thrown  during 
her  school  life,  this  was  the  first  who  could  un- 
derstand her  own  love  to  Christ  and  simple 
desire  to  please  Him  ; and  the  talk  of  the  two 
young  girls  was  sometimes  very  sweet  as  they 
walked  up  and  down  the  halls  together.  This 
friendship  greatly  improved  Katie’s  position 
among  the  other  girls,  even  those  of  Sophronia’s 
“ set.”  They  were  not  magnanimous  enough  to 
ask  her  pardon  for  what  they  must  have  known 
she  overheard,  but  a friend  of  Helen  Lome’s 
could  not  be  treated  as  too  low  in  the  social 
scale  to  be  associated  with.  They  began  to  see 
that  she  was  very  smart  and  pretty,  and  “ nice,” 
even  if  she  had  been  a “ factory  girl,”  and  one 
after  another  asked  her  to  “ walk,”  offered  her 
delicacies  at  lunch-time,  and  included  her  in 
their  conversation.  Even  Sophronia  saw  that 


226  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

she  would  please  Helen  better  by  noticing 
Katie,  and  she  often  joined  the  two  in  their 
promenade,  and  i listened  patiently  to  talk 
about  church,  Sunday-school  and  Christian  work. 
Katie  was  very  forgiving.  She  accepted  all  over- 
tures gracefully,  feeling  that  the  former  state 
of  affairs  was  partly  her  own  fault.  She  resolute- 
ly put  aside  even  her  work  when  it  interfered 
with  social  kindnesses,  and,  becoming  better 
known  and  having  more  to  love,  the  last  weeks  of 
her  school  year  were  very  much  happier  than 
the  earlier  months  had  been. 


BUSY  WEEKS. 


227 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

BUSY  WEEKS. 

ERTIE  SANDERSON’S  feelings  as 
she  too  went  into  the  chapel  for  pray- 
ers were  of  a very  complicated  nature. 
She  was  ashamed  of  her  part  in  last  night’s 
frolic,  and  sorry  that  she  had  ever  let  herself 
get  so  entangled.  She  was  afraid  that  her  long 
course  of  duplicity  would  be  brought  to  light, 
and  at  the  same  time  indignant  at  being  ac- 
cused of  a violation  of  rules,  of  which  she  had 
not  really  been  guilty, — a charge  of  which  she 
could  not  clear  herself  except  by  the  confession 
of  still  greater  guilt.  Then,  too,  she  really  loved 
Katie,  and  all  the  better  part  of  her  nature  re- 
volted from  allowing  her  to  be  suspected  of  a 
fault  of  which  she  knew  her  to  be  entirely  inno- 
cent, when  a word  from  her  would  instantly 
clear  her.  She  seemed  doomed  to  be  always 
an  injury  to  her  friend,  even  now  when  she  had 


228  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


not  the  least  intention  of  anything  but  kindness. 
By  the  time  prayers  were  over,  these  better  feel- 
ings prevailed,  and  she  resolved  to  speak  that 
word,  at  no  matter  what  cost  to  herself,  if  she 
could  only  get  Amelia's  permission  to  do  so.  In 
order  to  obtain  that  permission  she  waited  with 
great  impatience  for  “ recess,"  when  she  at 
once  sought  the  latter  and  drew  her  into  a 
quiet  place  behind  some  cases  of  birds. 

Amelia  had  been  carefully  considering  her 
own  best  course  of  action.  Had  she  been  sure 
that  she  had  been  seen  and  taken  for  Bertie 
Sanderson,  she  would  have  denied,  even  to  the 
latter,  all  knowledge  of  the  escapade , and,  know- 
ing that  there  was  no  evidence  against  her  except 
the  word  of  a school-girl  of  no  more  value  than 
her  own,  have  left  her  to  her  fate.  But  she  could 
not  be  sure  how  much  had  been  discovered  or  how 
much  had  been  confessed  during  that  mysterious 
interview  in  Miss  Perry’s  room.  It  was  necessa- 
ry to  find  this  out,  and  in  order  to  do  so*  she  must 
for  a little  longer  keep  terms  with  Bertie.  She 
was  even  sweeter  and  more  demonstrative  than 
usual  as  she  commenced  the  conversation  by 
saying,  — 


/ 


BUSY  WEEKS.  229 

“ You  don’t  know  what  a splendid  time  I had 
last  night ; and  it  was  not  found  out,  after  all.  I 
was  terribly  scared,  though,  when  I whistled  and 
you  didn’t  open  the  door.  Why  didn’t  you 
wait?” 

“ I could  n’t,  it  was  so  late.  Miss  Thornton 
asked  me  what  kept  me  so  long,  as  it  was.” 

“ Well,  it  did  n’t  matter.  I had  a great  deal 
better  time  as  it  was ; ” and  she  told  Bertie 
about  the  ice-cream  and  the  walk,  — a great 
condescension,  by  the  by,  that  she  would  not 
have  made  if  she  had  had  any  one  else  to  whom 
she  could  have  boasted  of  her  grown-up  doings. 
“ I got  in  a great  deal  nicer  way,  too,”  she  con- 
cluded, “and  was  never  even  suspected.” 

“ Well,  I was,”  said  Bertie,  “ and  what  is 
worse,  Katie  Robertson  was,  and  she  has  not 
an  idea  of  it,  as  you  know.” 

“Oh,  how  rich,”  said  Amelia,  with  a merry 
laugh  — “the  sainted  paragon  suspected  of  a 
flirtation.  How  the  girls  will  laugh  at  such  a 
story  about  the  transmuted  factory  girl.” 

“ But  you  can’t  tell  them  the  story  without 
exposing  yourself,  and  me,  too.” 

Amelia  saw  this,  and,  although  she  would  not 


230  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENW00D. 

have  minded  the  latter  clause,  she  did  not 
choose  to  risk  herself. 

“ How  fortunate  it  was,”  she  said,  “ that  I 
wore  your  hat  and  wrap.  Miss  Pauline’s  eyes 
are  not  so  good  as  she  thought  they  were. 
To  think  of  your  being  taken  for  me ! How 
ridiculous.”  There  was  a scornful  inflection  in 
these  last  words,  under  which  even  obtuse  Ber- 
tie winced.” 

“ I don’t  think  it ’s  kind  in  you,”  she  said,  “ to 
be  glad  that  I am  suspected  and  punished  in- 
stead of  you.” 

“ Pshaw!  what  does  the  punishment  amount 
to  ? It ’s  different  for  you  than  it  would  be  for 
me,  because  it’s  your  first  time.  It’ll  only  last 
till  the  vacation,  and  when  you  come  back  it  will 
all  be  forgotten.  I should  be  expelled.  And  as 
to  the  suspicion,  nobody  accuses  you  of  flirta- 
tion. You  are  only  suspected  of  being  a mes- 
senger for  some  one  else.” 

“ And  that  some  one  else  is  the  best  girl  I 
know,  and  the  kindest  friend  I have.” 

“ Present  company  not  excepted — thank  you, 
Bertie ! ” said  Amelia,  with  an  air  of  great  of- 
fence. 


BUSY  WEEKS . 


231 


“You  don’t  knowhow  good  Katie  is,”  said 
Bertie  eagerly,  “ nor  how  much  she  has  for- 
given me.” 

“ I am  not  fond  of  saints.  By  the  by  I forgot 
you  were  one.  I may  be  pardoned,  though,  all 
things  considered,  for  not  thinking  of  you  as  a 
church  member.” 

Bertie  turned  scarlet,  and  beginning  to  feel 
the  pressure  of  her  chains,  wavered  a little  in 
her  resolution  to  clear  Katie  at  all  hazards.  She 
said,  however,  rather  faintly,  — 

“ Amelia,  you  must  let  me  tell  Miss  Perry  and 
Mademoiselle  Pauline  that  it  is  you,  not  Katie 
Robertson,  that  young  man  has  been  following. 
You  see  they  know  all  about  it.” 

“ I shall  not  let  you  tell  any  such  thing.  Do 
you  think  I am  going  to  get  myself  expelled  ? 
A little  suspicion  won’t  hurt  your  saint.  That  is 
the  advantage  of  saintship.  Miss  Perry,  as  you 
see,  means  to  keep  it  quiet.  No  one  will  know 
anything  about  it  unless  the  French  woman 
blabs,  and  then  every  one  believes  so  fully  in 
Katie  Robertson  that  they  won’t  believe  her. 
Besides  you  dare  not  tell.  It  can  be  proved  that 
before  last  night  you  went  out  constantly  to 


2 32  THREE  YEARS  A T GLENWOOD. 


meet  that  young  man,  handed  him  papers,  made 
new  appointments  to  meet  him,  made  him  signs 
when  we  were  walking,  etc.” 

“ But  you  did  that.” 

“ Who ’s  to  prove  it  ? It ’s  only  your  word 
against  mine.” 

Bertie  opened  her  eyes,  and  her  companion 
continued,  — 

" Last  night's  doings  will  seem  to  every  one 
the  natural  ending  of  all  that ’s  gone  before,  and 
as  Mademoiselle  will  continue  to  swear  that  she 
saw  you  go  out,  and  saw  you  carry  your  hat  and 
wrap  in,  and  I shall  know  nothing  about  it,  you 
will  stand  in  a much  worse  position  than  you  do 
now.  I have  a few  words,  too,  to  say,  about  a 
certain  factory  girl  who  tells  lies,  church-mem- 
ber though  she  is.” 

Bertie  was  completely  overpowered.  She 
turned  all  colors,  and  finally  burst  into  tears. 
Then  her  companion,  who  saw  that  the  victory 
was  won,  passed  her  arm  caressingly  around  the 
poor  girl’s  waist  and  said, — 

“ There,  dearie,  there’s  nothing  to  cry  about. 
All  you  ’ve  got  to  do  is  just  to  hold  your  tongue 
and  bear  your  terrible  punishment  (!)  for  three 


BUSY  WEEKS. 


233 


weeks  longer,  till  the  term ’s  over.  When 
school  opens  again  everybody  will  have  forgotten 
all  about  the  matter.  Such  things  are  always 
happening  in  boarding-schools,  and  I shall  al- 
ways remember  what  a faithful  friend  Bertie 
Sanderson  was  to  me.” 

Recess  was  over  by  that  time,  and  Amelia, 
giving  her  victim  an  enthusiastic  kiss,  ran  away 
to  her  class-room  as  gaily  as  if  she  had  been 
the  most  innocent,  light-hearted  young  girl  in 
the  world. 

“ Katie,”  said  Bertie,  a few  days  after  this, 
“ do  you  think  people  ought  to  tell  things  which 
they  have  promised  to  keep  secret  ? ” 

“ Of  course  not.” 

“ But  suppose  it  would  help  some  one  else  ? ” 

“ I cannot  tell  you  that.  You  must  decide  for 
yourself,  and  God  will  help  you  if  you  ask  him,” 
she  said  in  lower  tones. 

“ I cannot  pray  any  more,”  said  Bertie,  burst- 
ing into  tears.  “ I ’m  too  wicked.  God  won’t 
hear  me  any  more.  I don’t  know  what  will  be- 
come of  me.” 

“ God  is  always  ready  to  forgive  us  for  the 
sake  of  Jesus.” 


234  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


“ Yes,  if  we  repent  and  confess  our  sins  ; but 
I can't  confess  and  I don’t  know  that  I ought 
to.  I must  break  my  word  or  be  mean,  and 
injure  other  people  either  way.  I don’t  know 
what  to  do,  and  I don’t  know  how  to  find  out.” 
“Bertie,”  said  Katie  earnestly  but  kindly, 
“did  you  or  did  you  not  go  out  that  evening 
when  you  came  over  for  your  geography  ? ” 

“I  did  not,”  said  her  companion  solemnly. 
“Did  you  think  I did  ? I said  No  every  time.” 
It  is  always  hard  for  us  to  think  that  others 
doubt  our  word  when  we  know  we  are  telling 
the  truth,  even  when  their  unbelief  is  based 
upon  our  former  untruthfulness  and  is  its 
natural  punishment. 

“Then  I think  I know  just  how  it  is.  You 
need  not  answer  if  it  would  be  telling.  I ’ll  tell 
you  what  I think,  — not  to  be  unkind,  but  to 
help  you  if  I can.  If  you  were  not  the  girl  who 
went  out,  it  must  have  been  some  one  else  who 
wore  your  things,  and  you  must  have  helped  her. 
It  could  have  been  nobody  but  Amelia  Bascom, 
who  was  not  at  the  Institute  during  study  hours. 
You  must  have  opened  the  door  to  let  her  out, 
and  fastened  it  when  you  came  over  for  your 


BUSY  WEEKS. 


235 


geography.  Miss  Pauline  saw  her,  and  of 
course  supposed  it  was  you.  It  must  be  Amelia, 
too,  that  this  boy  has  been  following  all  this 
time.  I don't  think  you  are  that  kind  of  girl, 
Bertie,  but  I am  afraid  you  have  helped  her 
carry  on  her  flirtation." 

“It  wouldn't  be  so  bad,"  sobbed  Bertie,  “if 
they  didn't  suspect  you.  I don’t  know  but  that 
I ought  to  tell  to  save  you." 

“No,"  said  her  friend  slowly,  and  not  without 
a little  struggle.  “ I don’t  want  Amelia  exposed 
and  punished  on  my  account.  God  will  take 
care  of  me.  I was  suspected  once  before,  you 
know,  and  it  did  not  really  hurt  me."  She  did 
not  mean  to  be  unkind,  but  Bertie  felt  this  allu- 
sion as  an  additional  source  of  unhappiness. 
“ I think  Amelia  ought  to  tell,  and  I don't 
believe  you  ever  can  be  happy  till  your  share  is 
known,  but  I cannot  decide  how  you  are  to 
manage  about  confessing  for  yourself  and  shield- 
ing her." 

“I  don't  care  about  shielding  her.  I hate 
her." 

Katie  looked  surprised 

“ I thought  you  had  got  yourself  into  all  this 
trouble  just  to  please  her,"  she  said. 


236  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

“ It ’s  all  through  Sophronia  and  those  girls. 
Sophronia  did  n’t  want  them  to  know  we  were 
factory  girls,  and  Amelia  found  it  out,  and  I al- 
lowed that  you  were,  but  tried  to  make  her 
think  I was  n’t.” 

Katie  wanted  to  say  “ How  mean  ! ” but  she 
restrained  herself.  She  only  wanted  to  do  her 
friend  good  now,  not  to  resent  her  own  wrongs. 

Bertie  went  on, — 

“ I knew  she  did  n’t  believe  me,  either,  and  I 
was  always  afraid  it  would  come  out,  and  so  I 
kept  on  telling  lies  about  it,  and  doing  everything 
she  wanted  me  to.” 

“ Poor  Bertie  ! ” said  her  room-mate  with  real 
sympathy. 

“ So  you  see  if  I tell  about  her  she  will  tell 
all  about  me.  And  the  worst  of  all  is  I’m  a 
church-member.  I wish  I had  never  joined. 
I ’d  better  not  have  made  any  promises,  for  you 
see  I could  n’t  keep  them.” 

“ Then  you ’ve  been  going  wrong  ever  since 
you  came  to  school,”  said  Katie.  “ Don’t  think  I 
want  to  preach,  Bertie,  but  I am  afraid  it  was 
because  you  gave  up  praying  and  reading  the 
Bible.  Jesus  could  have  helped  you  to  keep 
your  promises,  but  you  did  n’t  ask  him.” 


BUSY  WEEKS. 


237 


“I  know  you’re  right.”  said  Bertie,  who  was 
so  far  repentant  as  to  acknowledge  her  sin,  but 
not  sufficiently  so  as  to  do  the  one  thing  she 
ought  to  do.  “ I don’t  know  what  is  going  to 
become  of  me.  You  see,  I can’t  pray  with  all 
this  on  my  conscience,  and  I can’t  get  away 
from  it.  Must  I give  up  being  a Christian  and 
be  lost  ? ” 

Katie  was  not  a very  wise  or  a very  experienced 
counsellor.  She  did  not  really  see  how  to  help 
her  unhappy  friend  out  of  her  difficulty  without 
exposing  Amelia,  which  her  school-girl  sense  of 
honor  made  her  feel  it  would  be  “ mean  ” for 
her  to  do.  She  thought  a moment,  and  then 
said  what  seemed  very  wide  of  the  mark,  but 
was  really  the  best  thing  she  could  have  said 
under  the  circumstances,  — 

"I  don’t  think  the  dear  Lord  Jesus  wants  you 
to  be  lost,  Bertie,  when  he  did  and  suffered  so 
much  to  save  you.” 

Bertie  said  nothing,  but  the  simple  words 
were  as  seed  sown.  They  took  root  in  her 
heart,  and,  beginning  to  germinate  and  grow 
there,  brought  forth  plentiful  fruit  in  days  to 
come.  And  indeed  there  can  be  no  greater 


238  THREE  TEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

encouragement  to  our  continuing  to  walk  pa- 
tiently  along  the  way  to  everlasting  life,  amid 
all  the  discouragements  of  our  own  repeated 
falls  and  failures  than  the  thought  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  does  not  want  us  to  fail  of  the  salvation 
which  he  did  and  suffered  so  much  to  secure. 

The  remaining  weeks  of  the  term  passed  rap- 
idly away,  — every  one  was  busy  preparing  for 
the  various  examinations  with  which  the  year 
closed,  and  which  determined  the  standing  of  the 
pupils  for  that  which  was  to  come.  As  in  all 
the  higher  classes,  these  were  written  instead  of 
oral.  They  occupied  a great  deal  of  the  school- 
time,  and  all  the  studying  had  to  be  done 
after  the  sessions.  Katie  Robertson  now  expe- 
rienced the  benefit  of  having  studied  everything 
so  thoroughly  as  she  went  along.  There  was  no 
necessity  for  her  to  sit  up  half  the  night  to  re- 
view a book  with  whose  contents  she  was  per- 
fectly familiar,  and  thus  she  not  only  escaped 
the  temptation  to  let  her  ambition  again  injure 
her  health,  but  she  had  a little  extra  time  to  be- 
stow upon  her  less  fortunate,  because  less  faith- 
ful, school-mates.  Several  of  these  laggards, 
one  or  two  belonging  to  the  “ set  ” who  had 


BUSY  WEEKS . 


239 


spoken  so  unkindly  of  her  under  the  stairs,  owed 
the  surprising  fact  of  “ passing  ” as  high  as  seven- 
ty-five per  cent  (the  lowest  percentage  at  which 
promotion  was  possible)  to  the  “ stuck-up  factory 
girl's  ” kind  assistance  in  the  busy  dr.ys  pre- 
ceding the  examinations,  which  were  always 
especially  severe  at  the  close  of  the  year,  when 
the  greatest  number  of  promotions  were  made. 
To  Bertie  she  devoted  a great  deal  of  time  and 
attention,  inducing  her  sleepy  companion  to 
rise  an  hour  earlier  in  the  morning,  and  endeav- 
or to  make  up  for  some  of  her  lost  time.  But 
Bertie  was  in  too  wretched  a state  of  mind  to  do 
even  her  own  not  very  brilliant  self  justice.  She 
felt  a little  easier,  since  her  confession  to  Katie 
had  relieved  her  of  a sense  of  treachery  to 
her,  but  she  was  haunted  by  a constant  expec- 
tation of  public  exposure  and  punishment ; and, 
worse  still,  by  the  upbraidings  of  an  aroused 
conscience,  which  she  was  not  yet  ready  to  obey. 
There  is  this  difference  between  those  who,  hav- 
ing once  known  their  Saviour,  fall  under  the 
power  of  temptation,  and  those  who  have  never 
known  him  at  all.  The  latter  may  for  a long 
while  go  on  in  their  light,  easy,  careless  way, 


240  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENW00D. 

enjoying  in  a sense  everything  that  comes 
along,  and  untroubled  as  yet  by  any  conscious- 
ness of  guilt ; but  to  the  former,  God  never 
leaves  himself  without  a witness  in  the  con- 
stant sense  of  self-condemnation  which  they 
experience,  and  the  loss  of  sweet,  happy  com- 
munion with  him.  This  was  the  difference  now 
between  gay,  laughing  Amelia,  and  sad,  heavy 
Bertie.  Thank  God  that  he  thus  “ keeps  that 
which  we  have  committed  to  him,”  even  when 
we  wilfully  struggle  to  take  it  away.  So  long 
as  we  are  thus  unhappy  under  the  pressure  of 
our  sin,  we  may  be  sure  God's  Spirit  has  not 
forsaken  us.  He  will  not  spare  us,  but  will 
make  us  more  and  more  unhappy  till  we  return 
unto  him  for  forgiveness  and  healing.  But 
how  much  happier  and  better  for  us  did  we  al- 
ways keep  close  to  him  in  the  sweet  paths  of 
obedience  and  holiness.  Bertie  Sanderson  had 
not  yet  returned  to  him,  for  she  was  afraid 
to  make  open  confession  of  her  sin,  and  did  not 
dare  to  pray  until  she  had  done  so. 

Neither  did  she  dare  to  break  off  entirely 
from  those  companions  who  had  led  her  so  far 
astray,  as  in  heart  she  felt  she  ought  to  do.  She 


BUSY  WEEKS. 


24  i 


was  still  in  bondage  to  Amelia  and  afraid  of  her 
revelations  to  her  cousin,  who  might  in  her  turn 
betray  her  to  her  father,  and  she  knew  his  stern 
Scotch  rectitude  would  greatly  resent  having 
his  child  found  out  in  a lie.  Nor  was  Amelia 
quite  willing  to  lose  her  hold  upon  her  pliant 
tool  till  the  term  was  closed,  at  any  rate.  She 
did  not  know  what  effect  Katie’s  influence 
might  have  upon  her  in  inducing  her  to  con- 
fess her  own  share  in  the  affair,  — a thing  which 
could  not  be  done  without  involving  her  also. 
Katie  must  be  anxious  to  exonerate  herself,  and 
would  probably  do  all  that  she  could  to  influ- 
ence her  room-mate. 

So  there  were  some  more  of  those  whispered 
conversations  in  the  hall,  which  Bertie  began  to 
loathe,  made  up  of  alternate  flattery  and  threats, 
of  mysterious  promises  of  future  good  times,  and 
of  gifts  of  sweet  things  and  finery,  which  one  of 
the  boarders  was  now  commissioned  to  procure. 
And  so  Bertie  lost  more  of  those  precious  mo- 
ments, so  doubly  precious  at  this  especial  junc- 
ture, and  so,  while  “ passing  ” in  a few  studies, 
she  failed  in  her  examination  as  a whole,  and 
was  condemned  to  commence  the  next  year 


242  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD* 

almost  as  low  down  in  the  school  as  she  had  en- 
tered it.  Amelia  failed  also,  but  the  consequen- 
ces gave  her  no  concern.  All  she  cared  for  was  to 
“have  a good  time,”  and  that,  according  to  her 
definition,  was  as  attainable  in  one  part  of  the 
school  as  in  another. 

Katie  Robertson  passed  her  examinations  at 
ninety-nine  per  cent,  thus  proving  to  herself  that 
she  had  lost  nothing  during  the  last  term  by 
“ seeking  first  the  kingdom  of  God,”  in  obeying 
the  physical  rules  of  his  government.  She  had, 
thus,  — a thing  almost  unparalleled  in  the  school, 
— passed  through  the  four  academic  departments 
in  one  year,  and  was  ready  to  commence  the 
next  year  as  a “junior,”  Helen  Lome  being 
only  one  class  ahead  of  her. 

Katie  and  Helen  had  seen  little  of  each  other 
during  those  closing  weeks.  The  time  of  both 
was  well  filled  up.  The  examinations  often  con- 
tinued all  through  recess,  and,  as  we  know,  Katie 
was  not  allowed  to  go  out  to  visit  her  friend. 
Helen  never  asked  the  reason  for  this  prohibi- 
tion, and  Katie  did  not  volunteer  it.  She  could 
not  have  cleared  herself  except  by  telling  the 
story  as  she  understood  it ; and  to  do  that  was 


BUSY  WEEKS . 


243 


to  expose  others.  Helen  passed  her  examina* 
tions  as  brilliantly  as  ever,  and  with  apparent- 
ly as  little  strain  upon  either  her  mental  or 
bodily  powers.  She  was  grateful  for  her  own 
success,  and  rejoiced  more  over  Katie's  promo- 
tion than  her  own.  Sophronia  was  not  promot- 
ed, and  thus  she  and  the  “ factory  girl”  were 
placed  on  the  same  level. 

All  of  our  young  friends  were  saved  from  the 
temptations  of  public  display  by  having  no  part 
in  the  “ closing  exercises  ” of  the  school.  These 
were  all  given  up  to  the  “ collegiates,”  — the  ju- 
nior and  middle  classes  having  one  day  devoted 
to  them,  the  “ seniors  ” delivering  their  essays 
and  valedictory  on  Commencement  night,  on 
which  occasion  they  also  received  their  diplo- 
mas and  were  “ graduated.”  The  boarders,  of 
course,  were  present  on  all  these  occasions,  as 
well  as  all  the  members  of  the  older  classes. 
The  chapel  would  not  accommodate  the  whole 
school ; and  many  a girl  carried  away  her  first 
incentive  to  real  earnest  study,  arising  from  her 
desire  to  stand  one  day  among  those  “ girl  gradu- 
ates,” and  win  the  highest  honor  within  the  gift 
of  their  Alma  Mater. 


244  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

CLEARED. 

LL  this  time  no  further  development 
had  taken  place  concerning  the  myste- 
rious girl  who  had  gone  down  the  steps 
that  spring  evening,  and  had  returned,  no  one 
knew  how,  and  Katie  almost  began  to  feel  that 
she  must  go  away  with  this  cloud  upon  her 
reputation,  which,  although  it  was  known  to 
only  three  of  her  teachers,  — Miss  Thornton,  as 
living  in  the  house,  and  having  the  chief  care  of 
the  boarders  out  of  school,  of  course,  was  obliged 
to  be  informed,  — was  still  a cloud,  and  while  it 
rested  there  she  could  not  bear  to  think  of 
returning  to  the  boarding-house. 

Miss  Perry  had  her  own  suspicions,  but  as 
she  had  no  means  of  verifying  them,  like  a wise 
woman  she  kept  them  to  herself.  Miss  Thorn- 
ton positively  refused  to  believe  any  evil  about 
Katie,  but  Mademoiselle  Pauline  urged  that  a 


CLEARED . 


245 


public  example  ought  to  be  made  oi  the  two 
girls,  to  prevent  future  repetitions  of  similar 
offences.  In  fact  she  did  not  think  that  her 
carefully  ferreted  out  mystery  and  ingeniously 
constructed  theory  had  received  the  attention 
its  importance  demanded,  nor  had  her  sagacity 
and  watchfulness  gained  the  amount  of  praise  it 
deserved. 

In  vain  she  waited  and  watched  for  farther 
developments.  Amelia,  now  that  Bertie  could 
no  longer  be  her  messenger,  had  managed  to 
warn  her  companion  of  the  moonlight  walk  that 
it  was  not  safe  for  him  to  follow  or  communi- 
cate with  her,  and  he,  having  had  out  his  “fun 
with  the  school-girl  ” gave  up  the  pursuit  and 
was  seen  no  more  upon  the  morning  line  of 
march  or  around  the  Institute. 

“ She  was  a smart  one,”  thought  he,  “ to  get 
those  letters  and  that  photograph  away  from 
me.  I might  have  teased  her  royally  if  I had 
kept  them.,, 

He  was  not  at  first  so  sure  about  Amelia’s 
having  secured  the  letters  or  the  picture.  He 
fancied  he  remembered  seeing  her  lay  them  all 
down  on  the  marble  table  when  the  ice-cream 


M6  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

was  brought,  and  that  neither  had  thought  of 
them  again  in  the  hurry  of  leaving  when  the 
clock  struck.  But  when  he  went  back,  after 
helping  his  fair  companion  over  the  fence,  and 
looked  carefully  for  them,  they  were  nowhere 
to  be  seen.  A passing  waiter  whom  he  ques- 
tioned knew  nothing  about  them,  and  he  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  she  had  secured  them 
after  all. 

As  to  Amelia  she  supposed  he  still  had  the 
letters  and  the  picture,  and  was  at  first  a little 
worried  as  to  the  use  he  might  make  of  them, 
but  as  he  no  longer  haunted  the  morning  walk 
of  the  girls,  she  finally  concluded  that  there  was 
nothing  to  fear  in  that  quarter. 

It  was  the  morning  after  “ Commencement/' 
All  was  bustle  and  hurry  at  the  boarding-house. 
Some  of  the  trunks  had  been  packed  the  day 
before,  and  their  owners  had  left  for  home  in 
the  earliest  morning  trains.  Some  were  now 
engaged  in  clearing  out  drawers  and  dismantling 
rooms  which  had  been  homes  for  the  past  ten 
months.  Parents  and  friends  were  constantly 
arriving  and  carrying  away  the  young  ladies. 
Farewells  were  being  spoken  and  some  tears 


CLEANED. 


24  7 


were  shed.  There  were  some  who  went  forth 
from  these  rooms  school-girls  no  longer.  Life, 
with  its  solemn  cares  and  responsibilities,  lay 
before  them,  and  they  would  be  missed  when 
their  companions  gathered  again  for  study  and 
for  recreation.  The  “ breaking-up  ” day  of  a 
girls*  boarding-school  is  always  a day  of  mingled 
smiles  and  tears. 

Katie  Robertson  and  Bertie  Sanderson  were 
to  set  out  for  home  in  the  afternoon  train.  Mr. 
Sanderson,  who  had  come  to  the  city  to  procure 
some  supplies  for  the  Squantown  Paper  Mill,  was 
to  be  their  escort,  and  was  to  come  for  them  in 
time  for  the  train.  Bertie  was  a little  afraid  to 
meet  him,  for  she  knew  he  would  greatly  feel 
her  failure  to  be  promoted.  Both  girls  were 
busily  engaged  in  packing  their  trunks,  when  a 
message  came,  requesting  them  to  step  for  a 
moment  to  Miss  Perry’s  room. 

On  entering,  that  lady,  who  held  in  her  hand 
a curious  looking  photograph  and  a little  bundle 
of  letters,  said,  — 

“ Miss  Robertson,  allow  me  to  asK  your  par- 
don for  my  suspicions  and  also  for  the  slight 
deprivation  I was  compelled  to  make  in  consid- 


248  THREE  YEARS  A T GLEN  WOOD, 

eration  of  certain  unexplained  circumstances. 
These  letters,  signed  by  the  writer,  which  I 
have  read,  and  this  silly  photograph,  have  suffi- 
ciently proved  that  you  had  no  part  whatever  in 
the  matter.  And,”  she  continued  with  great 
cordiality,  “ I never  really  supposed  you  had.  I 
had  a shrewd  suspicion  from  the  first  as  to  who 
was  the  real  culprit.  But,  Miss  Sanderson,” 
she  said  looking  more  sternly  at  Bertie,  “will 
you  please  to  explain  your  connection  with  this 
affair.” 

She  waited  a moment,  and  then,  as  the  girl 
hesitated,  said,  — 

“ Speak  the  truth.  Miss  Amelia  Bascom, 
who  has  been  sent  away  in  disgrace,  never  to 
be  again  admitted  in  this  institution,  has  told 
the  whole  story,  and  you  may  be  sure  she  has 
not  spared  you.” 

To  Bertie  it  was  a positive  relief  to  make  a 
full  confession,  which  she  did,  not  omitting  a 
single  point  of  her  various  acts  of  untruthful- 
ness since  she  entered  the  school.  Her  account 
was  fuller  than  Amelia's  had  been,  and,  while 
not  in  the  least  sparing  herself,  she  made  it  so 
clearly  appear  that  she  was  only  the  weak  tool 


CLEARED. 


249 


of  her  more  designing  companion,  that  at  its 
close  Miss  Perry  said, — 

“ I believe  you  are  telling  me  the  truth  now, 
and  as  this  is  the  first  offence  I shall  not  make 
your  punishment  as  heavy  as  it  might  have 
been.” 

“ You  won’t  expel  me  ?” 

“ No  ! but  I must  tell  your  father  and  leave  it 
to  him  to  decide  if  he  will  again  expose  his 
daughter  to  the  temptations  of  a boarding- 
school/  ’ 

“ Did  you  know  anything  of  the  true  state  of 
the  case,  Miss  Robertson,”  said  Miss  Perry, 
looking  a little  curiously  at  Katie. 

“ Not  when  it  happened,  but  I guessed  it 
soon  after.” 

“ And  never  said  a word  to  any  of  us  ? Why, 
it  would  have  saved  you  from  both  suspicion 
and  punishment.” 

“ Yes,  but  it  would  have  exposed  both  Amelia 
and  Bertie,  and  I didn’t  want  to  do  that.  I 
knew  the  Lord  would  take  care  of  me,  and  he 
has.” 

Miss  Perry  looked  at  her  curiously.  She 
called  herself  a Christian,  but  she  knew  nothing 


250  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

of  this  practical  living  upon  Christian  thoughts 
and  Christian  hopes. 

“ Will  you  please  tell  Miss  Thornton  and 
Mademoiselle  Pauline  ? ” said  Katie.  “ I would 
like  them  to  know.” 

“We  have  all  known  it  for  a week.  Miss 
Thornton  from  the  first  would  believe  nothing 
against  you ; Miss  Pauline  has  left,  not  to  re- 
turn. Her  place  will  be  supplied  by  an  older, 
more  experienced  person.” 

If  the  reader  is  curious  to  know  how  the  let- 
ters and  photograph  reached  Miss  Perry,  it  is 
enough  to  say  that  another  restaurant  waiter 
picked  them  up  and  carried  them  to  the  desk, 
and  that  the  proprietor,  thinking  something 
must  be  wrong,  waited  till  he  assured  himself  by 
watching  the  daily  morning  procession,  that  the 
face  on  the  photograph  was  that  of  one  of  the 
young  ladies,  and  then,  calling  upon  Miss  Perry, 
surrendered  the  whole  package  into  her  hands. 

Why  she  kept  Katie's  vindication  and  Ame- 
lia’s punishment  a secret  for  a whole  week, 
indeed  until  most  of  the  other  boarders  were 
gone,  is  her  own  concern,  and  of  a piece  with 
the  rest  of  her  management,  which  was  to  give 


CLEARED. 


251 

as  little  publicity  as  possible  to  everything  con- 
cerning the  government  of  the  boarders. 

To  describe  Katie  Robertson's  happiness  at 
being  thus  completely  cleared  from  suspicion, 
and  Bertie's  relief  at  no  longer  having  to  carry 
round  a guilty  secret,  would  be  to  tell  the  whole 
story  of  the  long  day's  travel  which  carried  the 
girls  to  their  country  home. 

Every  time  that  we  trust  our  cause  fully  in 
the  Lord's  hands  and  find  in  return  that  he  is 
well  worthy  of  our  trust,  not  only  strengthens  our 
faith,  but  also  greatly  endears  him  to  our  hearts, 
and  Katie's  heart  was  full  of  love  to  her  Saviour 
that  day,  — so  full  that  there  seemed  to  be  an 
added  brightness  to  the  sunshine,  a richer 
green  to  the  foliage,  and  a deeper  blue  to  the 
water  and  sky,  as  the  cars  whirled  her  along. 
She  had  many  causes  for  both  joy  and  thank- 
fulness. The  school  year,  with  its  heavy  strain 
of  work,  was  over.  She  had  succeeded  to  the 
utmost  of  her  ambition.  She  had  made  valuable 
acquisitions  of  knowledge,  which  is  both  enjoy- 
ment and  power.  The  record  left  behind  her  was 
without  a flaw.  Her  kind  uncle  would  be  fully 
satisfied  with  the  result  of  his  generosity.  Her 


252  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

mother  would  be  delighted  not  only  with  her  suc- 
cess, but  also  to  have  her  little  girl  once  more 
with  her.  She  was  going  home  to  rest  among 
familiar  scenes,  familiar  faces  and  loving  hearts. 
Her  holiday  was  all  the  more  welcome  because 
hardly  earned,  and  the  lassitude  and  fatigue  of 
the  past  weeks  of  strain  and  excitement  made 
the  coming  period  of  rest  the  more  delightful 
by  way  of  contrast.  It  is  only  those  who  have 
worked  long  and  faithfully  who  can  really  enjoy 
a holiday.  On  this  bright  summer  day  Katie 
Robertson  ought  to  have  been,  and  was,  a very 
happy  girl. 

There  was  one  sad  spot  in  her  heart,  however, 
and  that  was  her  sorrow  for  Bertie.  Poor 
Bertie ! it  was  not  a happy  home-going  for  her. 
Mr.  Sanderson,  who,  though  a good,  upright  man, 
and  really  very  fond  of  his  children,  was  still  a 
very  stern  one,  and  his  mortification,  both  at  his 
daughter's  failure  to  pass  the  examinations  and 
secure  her  promotion,  and  also  at  the  disgrace 
in  which  she  left  the  boarding-house,  was  very 
great. 

He  was  disappointed  as  well  as  mortified.  It 
had  been  a hard  strain  for  him,  with  his  moder- 


CLEARED . 


253 


ate  income  and  growing  family  expenses,  in 
compliance  with  his  sister-in-law’s  suggestions 
and  her  own  earnest  solicitations,  to  send  his 
daughter  to  a fashionable  school.  He  had 
hoped,  however,  that  the  advantages  would  equal 
the  sacrifice,  and  that  she  would,  by  attaining 
a higher  education,  be  enabled  to  secure  for  the 
future  better  and  more  lucrative  employment 
than  she  was  now  fit  for.  This  he  now  saw 
was  not  likely  to  be  the  case  unless  she  could 
be  induced  to  study  more  diligently  than  re- 
sults showed  her  to  have  done. 

But  even  more  than  this,  he  felt  the  disgrace 
of  the  affair  into  which  Bertie’s  weakness  and 
idleness  had  led  her.  He  had  been  informed 
by  Miss  Perry  of  the  exact  facts  of  the  case,  and 
that  good-natured  lady  had  not  failed  to  point 
out  the  difference  between  being  an  accomplice 
and  the  principal  in  a boarding-school  flirtation. 
But  in  his  true  and  honest  eyes,  the  deceit  of 
which  she  had  been  guilty  was  dishonor  enough, 
and  he  was  so  thoroughly  incensed  with  his 
daughter  that  he  refused  to  speak  to  her  at  all 
during  the  journey. 

But  even  this  punishment,  hard  as  it  was  to 


254  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD . 


bear,  was  light  compared  with  the  reproaches 
of  the  girl's  own  conscience.  She  was  free 
from  the  sense  of  continued  wrong-doing  and 
of  concealment,  and  that  in  itself  was  a great 
relief ; but  she,  too,  was  disappointed.  She 
had  really  meant  to  be  a good  girl  when  she 
went  to  school,  and  to  make  the  most  of  her 
advantages ; but  somehow  she  had  entirely 
failed  in  doing  so,  and  there  was  no  chance 
of  “ making  up.”  The  wasted  hours  could  never 
come  back  again.  Worse  still,  she  had  meant 
to  be  a Christian  and  to  honor  her  profession 
on  that  bright  September  Sunday,  when  she 
came  forward  with  the  rest  of  her  class  to  give 
herself  publicly  to  the  Lord  ; and  as  she  thought 
of  the  bright  hopes  of  that  day  and  how  she  had 
failed  in  them,  she  was  almost  too  much  discour- 
aged ever  to  try  again.  But  as  she  sat  in  melan- 
choly silence  looking  out  of  the  window,  or 
listening  without  interest  to  Katie’s  happy  talk, 
there  came  the  memory  of  those  words  of  the 
latter,  — 

“ I don't  think  the  dear  Lord  wants  you  to  be 
lost,  when  he  did  and  suffered  so  much  to  save 
you.” 


CLEARED . 


2S5 


He  did  not  want  her  to  be  lost,  then  certainly 
he  did  not  want  her  to  be  wicked  if  she  was 
weak.  He  would  keep  her  from  evil,  and  help 
her  to  resist  temptation,  and  fulfil  her  promises 
if  she  would  only  keep  close  to  him.  There  had 
been  her  first  failure.  She  saw  it  now,  and  knew 
that  her  only  hope  lay  in  getting  back  to  Him, 
and  yet  it  somehow  seemed  as  though  she  could 
not  do  it ; she  had  wandered  too  far  to  return. 
Thus  it  is,  when  the  tempter  sees  us  willing 
to  come  to  Christ,  that  he  always  tries  to  per- 
suade us  that  we  are  too  bad  to  come. 

“ Katie,”  said  Bertie  suddenly,  towards  the 
close  of  that  long  day,  “ do  you  think  the  Lord 
Jesus  would  receive  me  if  I was  to  come  to  him 
again?  I’m  afraid  I’m  too  wicked.  But  I do 
love  him,  and  I see  that  I cannot  keep  myself 
straight  unless  he  keeps  me.  I want  to  let  him.” 

“Iam  sure  he  will  receive  you;  doesn’t  he 
say,  ‘ Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  are  weary  and 
heavy  laden,’  no  matter  what  the  cause  is  ? 
Did  n’t  he  come  to  ‘ save  sinners  ? ’ See  here, 
Bertie,”  and  she  took  out  the  Bible  which  was 
in  her  travelling-bag,  and  turned  to  the  words, 
‘ Return  unto  me  and  I will  return  unto  you/ 


2$6  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

Come  back  to  him,  dear,  and  never  again  stray 
away.” 

“ I will  never  again  neglect  my  prayers,  if 
that  is  what  you  mean.  That  was  the  beginning 
of  all  the  trouble.” 

“Yes,”  said  Katie,  with  less  tone  of  superior- 
ity than  she  would  have  used  two  months  ago. 
“ We  can’t  do  without  prayer,  and  even  then  we 
sometimes  go  astray.  You  will  come  to  Jesus, 
now,  won’t  you,  Bertie,  as  you  did  at  first,  you 
know  ? ” 

“Just  as  soon  as  I get  home,”  said  Bertie. 

“ No,  now.  He  is  here,  you  know,  and  you 
might  n’t  live  to  get  home.” 

Her  companion  understood,  and,  leaning  her 
head  on  the  top  of  the  car-seat  in  front  of  her, 
closed  her  eyes.  She  did  not  notice  the  scenery 
or  the  gathering  darkness  much  after  that.  To 
her  the  dingy  railroad  car  was  sweet  with  the 
sense  of  renewed  consecration,  forgiveness,  and 
presence  of  God. 


VAC  A TIO  A A AD  RE-OFEAIAG.  2$? 


CHAPTER  XV. 

VACATION  AND  RE-OPENING. 


gSFglT  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  story  to 
describe  Katie’s  vacation.  Those  who 
-ggH  have  read  “ Katie  Robertson,”  know 
all  about  Squantown,  its  paper-mill,  its  Sunday- 
school,  and  its  church.  They  are  acquainted 
with  Mrs.  Robertson  and  her  boarders  ; with 
Miss  Eunice  and  her  sisters,  and  “ Mr.  James.” 
They  may  be  sure  that,  while  the  mothers 
heart  beat  the  most  warmly  at  receiving  back 
her  only  daughter  and  most  dearly-loved  child, 
Gretchen  was  very  glad  in  her  stolid  German 
fashion,  and  Tessa  became  quite  Italian  again  in 
her  manifestations  of  delight. 

All  thought  Katie  looked  both  paler  and  thin- 
ner than  when  she  went  away,  but  all  saw  also 
the  indescribable  improvement  in  refinement 
and  culture,  and  but  for  her  exceeding  sweet- 
ness and  humility,  the  girls  of  Squantown,  like 


258  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD . 

those  of  Glenwood,  might  have  found  the  r# 
turned  boarding-school  girl  “ stuck-up/’ 

Katie,  however,  remembered  her  lesson,  and 
feeling  always  that  it  was  God  who  made  her  to 
differ,  where  she  did  differ  from  her  companions 
in  anything  concerning  appearance,  capacity,  or 
opportunity,  she  was  very  thankful  to  him,  and 
shared  her  good  things,  so  far  as  was  possible, 
with  others. 

Her  mother  was  very  anxious  about  her 
daughter’s  health,  and  insisted  upon  her  being 
in  the  open  air  as  much  as  possible,  declining 
her  assistance  in  household  matters  where  Katie 
would  have  been  glad  to  render  it,  and  utterly 
forbidding  any  study  or  work.  Thus  she  was 
free  to  do  as  she  pleased  with  her  time  — a 
luxury  she  had  not  enjoyed  for  several  years  — 
and  she  improved  her  liberty  by  frequent  visits 
to  the  mill,  where  she  was  as  sociable  with  the 
girls  as  though  she  was  still  among  the  number, 
joining  them  on  their  homeward  walks,  lending 
them  books,  telling  them  about  school,  and 
sometimes  bringing  them  nice  little  lunches  of 
her  own  or  her  mother’s  preparation. 

She  threw  herself  enthusiastically  into  the  in- 


VACATION  AND  RE-OPENING.  259 


terests  of  the  “ Do-Good  Society/'  which  had 
somewhat  languished  during  her  absence,  and 
greatly  interested  the  children  in  accounts  of 
things  seen,  done,  and  heard  of  in  the  city.  But 
the  greatest  happiness  of  all  was  to  take  her 
old  place  in  the  Sunday-school  class,  and  to 
join  both  Miss  Etta’s  and  Miss  Eunice’s  classes, 
which  still  met  once  a week  for  charitable  work 
and  social  religious  conversation.  She  had 
missed  this  latter  means  of  grace  very  much  in 
her  busy  school  life.  Only  once  during  those 
long  ten  months — that  blessed  Sunday  afternoon 
at  Mrs.  Lome’s  — had  she  enjoyed  the  advantage 
of  the  counsel  of  any  older  Christian.  And 
now  she  came  to  the  great  house  by  Miss 
Eunice’s  special  invitation  a good  many  morn- 
ings, and,  explaining  her  school  difficulties,  and 
asking  questions  concerning  many  things  which 
had  perplexed  her,  she  got  many  things  straight- 
ened out  in  her  mind.  Her  religious  feelings  re- 
ceived the  fresh  impulse  which  loving  conversa- 
tion upon  spiritual  things  always  gives,  and  she 
buckled  on  her  armor  anew  to  fight  with  temp- 
tation and  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil.  And, 
in  her  turn,  the  watchful  teacher  was  glad  and 


260  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

thankful  to  see  how  carefully  her  heavenly 
Shepherd  had  watched  this  lamb,  sent  out  into 
the  great  world's  temptations,  and  how,  in  the 
absence  of  other  teachers,  he  had  caused  her 
to  grow  in  grace  herself. 

Alfred's  school  term  did  not  close  till  about 
three  weeks  after  Katie's,  and  when  he  came 
home  Uncle  Alfred  came  with  him  for  a short 
summer  visit. 

He  was  very  much  gratified  at  Katie's  ad- 
vancement, and  promised  to  send  her  to  school 
for  two  years  longer,  at  the  end  of  which  time 
she  would  graduate  and  be  fitted  for  any  good 
situation  that  should  offer,  and  able  to  secure  an 
honorable  independence. 

He  offered  to  take  her  a little  trip  in  the 
mountains  as  a holiday  pleasure,  but  she  begged 
so  hard  that  her  mother  might  go  instead,  while 
she  attended  to  the  housekeeping,  that  he  con- 
sented, and  poor,  tired  Mrs.  Robertson  came 
back  at  the  end  of  a week  looking  ten  years 
younger  than  she  did  when  she  went  away, 
while  Katie  said  a week  of  housekeeping  was  a 
great  relief  after  so  many  months  of  nothing 
but  study. 


VACATION  AND  RE-OPENING,  26 1 

After  that  there  was  again  the  bustle  and 
hurry  of  getting  ready,  and,  all  too  soon,  the 
vacation  hours  were  over,  and  our  school-girl 
found  herself  back  at  Glenwood. 

Bertha  Sanderson  did  not  accompany  her. 
The  point  had  been  undecided  for  some  time,  even 
after  Mr.  Sanderson  had,  at  her  repeated  and 
humble  request,  forgiven  his  daughter.  She 
had  for  some  weeks  proved  her  sincerity,  and  he 
believed  her  and  took  her  into  favor.  Never- 
theless, the  sensible  Scotchman  thought  long 
and  shrewdly  about  the  propriety  of  continuing 
an  investment  which  produced  such  small  re- 
turns. It  was  clear  that  Bertie  would  never  be 
a “ lady  ” in  her  mother's  and  aunt’s  sense  of  the 
word.  Nor  did  she  appear  likely  to  become 
enough  of  a scholar  to  support  herself  as  a 
teacher,  and,  besides,  in  spite  of  her  repentance 
and  present  earnest  purpose  to  do  right  she 
had  proved  herself  so  weak  in  the  presence  of 
temptation,  that  there  was  no  knowing  to  what 
lengths  she  might  go  in  any  new  combination 
into  which  she  might  be  thrown. 

On  the  other  hand,  he  did  not  quite  like  to 
put  her  back  into  the  mill.  It  might  seem  to 


262  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


her  own  and  her  mother's  foolish  way  of  looking 
at  things  somewhat  of  a degradation,  and  she 
had  never  shown  herself  a sufficiently  good 
work-woman  to  warrant  the  expectation  of  much 
advancement. 

He  determined  to  leave  it  to  herself,  and  if 
he  found  her  mind  much  set  upon  returning  to 
school,  to  try  the  experiment  for  one  year  more, 
and  see  what  would  come  of  it. 

But  his  difficulties  were  solved  by  Bertie  her- 
self when,  a few  weeks  before  the  close  of  the 
vacation,  he  spoke  to  her  upon  the  matter.  She 
quite  agreed  with  him. 

“ Father,"  she  said,  “it ’s  of  no  use  for  me  to 
go  to  school  any  more.  I cant  study  as  Katie 
Robertson  does ; it  is  n’t  in  me.  Besides,  I ’m 
not  good  enough  to  be  trusted  away  from  home. 
I don’t  trust  myself.  I ’d  rather  stay  at  home 
and  learn  to  be  good  here.’’ 

“ But  what  will  you  do  with  yourself,  my 
dear  ? 99  said  her  father,  quite  touched  with  her 
humility. 

“ Have  n’t  you  noticed  how  pale  and  tired 
mother  usually  looks  ? I don’t  think  she  is  at 

all  well.  Let  me  stay  and  help  her  with  the 


VACATION  AND  RE-OPENING.  263 

house  and  the  children.  Nina  can  go  to  school 
here  in  Squantown  till  she  learns  enough  to  go  to 
boarding-school.  Maybe  she  'll  be  a better  girl 
and  a brighter  scholar  than  I have  been.  And, 
father,  I wish  you  ’d  make  mother  go  and  make 
Aunt  Cleveland  a long  visit.  I am  sure  it  will 
do  her  good.  I can  manage  the  house  nicely,  you 
see  if  I don't.  It  won’t  cost  a bit  more  than 
my  journey  to  school  would,  and  I shan’t  want 
any  new  things  for  ever  so  long.  Please,  father, 
do  as  I say.” 

And  her  father  consented,  and  Mrs.  Sander- 
son went  to  the  city  and  made  a long  visit,  tak- 
ing Nina,  who  thus  had  a chance  of  becoming 
acquainted  with  her  cousins,  especially  Lilian, 
who  was  about  two  years  older  than  herself,  and 
to  whom  she  became  so  warmly  attached  that  it 
was  finally  arranged  to  leave  her  with  her  aunt 
and  let  her  attend  Glenwood  Institute  as  a day- 
scholar.  There  was  more  room  at  the  grocer’s 
for  an  extra  girl  now,  as,  during  the  vacation, 
Augusta  was  married  and  went  directly  to  a 
home  of  her  own.  Sophronia,  now  the  young 
lady  of  the  house,  at  once  took  possession  of 
her  sister’s  vacated  room,  and  little  Nina  slept 
with  Lilian. 


264  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

Mrs.  Sanderson  came  back  to  Squantown,  if 
not  a wiser  woman,  at  least  a more  rested  one, 
and  she  and  her  eldest  daughter  settled  down  to 
do  the  cooking  and  washing,  and  making  and 
mending  for  Mr.  Sanderson  and  the  little  ones, 
Bertie  giving  her  spare  time  to  reviewing  some 
of  her  studies,  to  the  Sunday-school,  the  “ Do- 
Good  Society/’  and  the  community  in  general. 
She  quite  lost  her  old  air  of  attempted  gentility, 
and,  though  always  a very  plain  girl,  became 
a nice,  respectable-looking  one,  much  more  lady- 
like in  the  eyes  of  people  of  sense  than  either 
her  cousins  Augusta  or  Sophronia. 

“ Katie,”  she  said,  as  she  bade  her  old  room- 
mate good-by,  “ pray  for  me  sometimes.  I 
have  n’t  forgotten  to  pray  for  myself  once  since 
I came  home,  morning  or  night,  and  I don’t 
mean  to.  I am  getting  so  fond  of  it  now  that 
I don’t  see  how  I ever  could  forget.” 

And  so  it  happened  that  Katie  Robertson 
went  back  to  school  alone,  and  that  for  the  first 
few  weeks  she  was  without  a room-mate,  — a 
privilege  which,  for  a time,  she  valued  very 
much  ; for  as  she  now  had  plenty  of  friends 
among  both  day-scholars  and  boarders,  she  was 


VACATION  AND  RE-OPENING . 265 

glad  of  the  quiet  time  in  her  room  for  study,  or 
reading,  or  prayer.  She  had  resolved  not  to 
squander  her  strength  so  recklessly  as  she  had 
done  at  the  commencement  of  the  preceding 
year,  and  she  was  glad  of  every  moment  which 
could  be  legitimately  used  for  study. 

There  were  some  changes  at  Glenwood,  both 
among  the  boarders  and  in  the  Institute.  Ma- 
demoiselle Pauline  had  disappeared  from  the 
former,  and  in  her  place  was  a quiet,  sweet- 
looking French  widow  lady,  — one  who  had 
brought  up  daughters  of  her  own,  and  both  un- 
derstood and  sympathized  with  girls.  Madame 
Brunot  was  also  a sincere,  earnest,  Protestant 
Christian,  of  which  there  are  a great  many  in 
France,  notwithstanding  the  prevalence  of  those 
of  the  Mademoiselle  Pauline  type.  There  are 
those  who  care  more  for  true  things  than  for 
pretty  ones,  and  who  are  anxious  to  glorify  God 
and  build  up  his  kingdom  wherever  they  may  be. 
Of  course  such  a woman  could  not  be  placed  in  a 
house  with  fifty  girls  without  deeply  feeling  her 
responsibility  towards  them.  She  commenced 
by  winning  their  confidence,  and  was  soon  much 
more  popular  with  all  of  them,  except  a certain 


266  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOQD. 

set,  than  Mademoiselle  Pauline  ever  had  been. 
As  a further  step,  she  offered  to  relieve  Miss 
Perry  of  her  Sunday  afternoon  Bible-class, 
which  that  lady  very  gladly  resigned  into  her 
hands,  and  from  that  time  the  dreaded  formal 
service  became  one  of  the  most  popular  institu- 
tions of  Glenwood,  no  one  ever  feigning  a head- 
ache as  an  excuse  for  staying  away  from  it.  Even 
the  worldly  girls  who  had  no  interest  in  religious 
things,  as  such,  enjoyed  Madame’s  bright  and 
sparkling  way  of  explaining  and  illustrating, 
and  found  the  hour  a pleasant  break  in  the 
monotony  of  their  dull,  home-sick  Sundays. 

Thus  Katie’s  new  year  opened  with  pleasanter 
prospects  and  under  more  promising  auspices 
than  that  which  had  preceded  it,  and  even  bet- 
ter things  were  in  store,  which  will  all  be  re- 
corded in  their  proper  place. 

Lilian  Cleveland  came  back  to  school  at 
the  opening  of  the  new  year.  She  had  not,  of 
course,  been  promoted,  as  her  illness  had  pre- 
vented her  studying  for  the  examinations,  and 
she  was  therefore  farther  than  ever  from  Katie, 
who  was  now  a dignified  Junior.  Whether  it 
was  this,  or  whether  it  is  that  things  never  re- 


VACATION  AND  RE-OPENING . 267 

produce  themselves,  and  circumstances  are  never 
twice  exactly  the  same,  she  did  not  again  seek 
to  attach  herself  exclusively  to  Katie  or  seek  to 
learn  from  her  that  important  secret  which  had 
once  trembled  on  her  lips.  She  devoted  herself 
to  Nina,  walking  with  her  at  recess  and  helping 
her  with  her  lessons,  which  were  not,  after  all, 
very  difficult ; for  the  little  girl,  who  had  never 
applied  herself  to  study  at  all,  and  whose  accom- 
plishments were  covered  by  reading,  writing,  and 
doing  examples  as  far  as  “ short  division/'  was 
placed,  on  entering,  almost  at  the  bottom  of  the 
school. 

Lilian  had  recovered  from  her  illness,  though 
she  was  still  far  from  strong.  She  was  a 
strange-looking  girl,  with  large  dark  eyes  and 
fair  hair,  and  would  have  been  quite  pretty  but 
for  the  sad,  heavy,  fretful  expression,  which 
since  her  illness  had  changed  into  a look  of 
hungry  unhappiness.  Sophronia  did  not  no- 
tice Katie  at  all  till  some  weeks  after  school 
commenced.  She  was  very  important  in  her 
position  of  eldest  daughter  at  home,  and  not  a 
little  jealous  of  the  factory  girl's  promotion  in 
one  year  into  the  collegiate  department.  But 


268  THREE  FEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

early  in  October,  when  Helen  Lome  came  back 
from  the  country,  and  showed  symptoms  of  be- 
ing as  intimate  with  Katie  as  ever,  Sophronia 
also  became  gracious,  and  as  she  could  not  have 
the  company  of  one  girl  without  the  other,  she 
very  condescendingly  attached  herself  to  both, 
even  so  far  as  to  invite  both  to  dinner  with  her 
some  Sunday  — an  invitation  which  was  at  once 
and  promptly  declined. 

But  Katie  did  not  decline  an  invitation 
brought  her  by  Helen  to  spend  another  Sunday 
with  her  before  the  bright  leaves  had  paled,  or 
October’s  glory  faded  into  November’s  gloom. 

“ Mamma  especially  wants  you  to  come  to- 
morrow,” Helen  said,  in  giving  her  mother’s  in- 
vitation, “because,  — well,  that  is  a secret  which 
I can’t  tell  you  just  yet,  but  you  shall  know  in 
due  time,  and  I ’m  sure  you  will  be  surprised.” 

If  the  park  had  looked  lovely  when  Katie 
Robertson  first  saw  it  that  day  in  early  spring, 
it  was  absolutely  gorgeous  in  its  fall  garments 
of  crimson,  russet,  and  gold.  The  visitor  could 
not  restrain  her  exclamations  of  delight  as  the 
carriage  drove  by  the  pond  with  its  drooping 
fringe  of  scarlet  woodbine,  and  her  eye  caught 


VACATION  AND  RE-OPENING . 269 

the  variegated  masses  of  color  contrasting  with 
the  rich  turf,  still  of  an  emerald  green.  The 
frost,  always  lovingly  considerate  of  city  gar- 
dens, had  not  yet  blackened  the  bright  gerani- 
ums and  many-colored  coleus  of  the  flower-beds 
in  front  of  Helen’s  beautiful  home,  and  the  vines 
which  draped  the  veranda  seemed  to  blaze  in 
the  afternoon  sunlight. 

Although  not  actually  frosty,  the  evening  was 
cool,  and  a bright  little  wood  fire,  which  burned 
in  the  brass  library  grate,  seemed  to  Katie  to 
give  the  prettiest  imaginable  welcome ; and  as 
she  and  her  entertainers  sat  in  front  of  it,  she 
enjoyed  the  pleasantest  little  chat  concerning 
the  summer  rambles  of  her  friends,  interspersed 
with  stories  of  Squantown  and  her  own  home 
doings. 

Then  came  the  sweet,  quiet  Sunday,  with  its 
hallowed  employments  and  enjoyments,  and  at 
its  close  Katie  found  herself  again  sitting  with 
Helen  Lome  in  her  mother’s  room.  Here,  as 
before,  the  talk  was  familiar  though  earnest, 
and  the  visitor  told  her  kind  friends  why  she 
had  not  accepted  their  second  invitation  in  the 
spring.  She  told  the  circumstances  fully  and 


270  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENW00D . 

truthfully,  throwing  as  little  blame  as  she  could 
upon  Amelia  Bascom,  and  excusing  Bertie  as 
far  as  possible,  upon  the  ground  of  her  being  so 
easily  led  astray. 

Mrs.  Lome  saw  that  her  lessons  of  a previous 
day  had  been  heeded,  and  that  no  evil  feeling 
towards  Bertie  remained  in  her  friend’s  mind. 
She  saw,  too,  that  Katie  had  behaved  remarka- 
bly well  in  the  trying  circumstances  in  which  she 
had  been  placed ; and  while  careful  not  again  to 
throw  a temptation  to  vanity  and  self-sufficiency 
in  the  way  of  the  girl  in  whom  she  was  so  much 
interested,  she  testified  her  approbation,  and 
congratulated  her  upon  having  been  so  helped 
by  the  Lord.  Then  the  conversation  turned 
upon  other  points,  and  Katie,  remembering  her 
puzzle  at  the  grocers  last  year,  asked  Mrs. 
Lome  what  she  thought  about  Sunday  music 
and  Sunday  amusements. 

“ Suppose  we  ask  Mr.  Lome  about  that  after 
service  this  evening,  dear.  He  has  thought  a 
great  deal  about  the  question,  and  can  answer 
you  better  and  more  fully  than  I can.” 

The  evening  service  in  the  suburban  church 
was  a very  pleasant  one,  or  would  have  been 


VACATION  AND  RE-OPENING.  27 1 


but  for  the  sense  of  loneliness  caused  by  so 
many  empty  seats.  Strangely  enough,  it  has 
become  the  fashion  in  cities  for  the  majority  of 
the  congregation  to  stay  away  from  the  second 
church-service,  to  the  great  discouragement  of 
the  pastor  and  the  faithful  few  who  make  it  a 
point  to  be  always  present  when  he  is.  Mr. 
Lome  was  one  of  these,  and  it  was  rarely  the 
case  that  his  own  seat  or  those  of  any  one  of 
his  family  were  vacant  on  Sunday  night.  There 
was  also  a goodly  proportion  of  the  “ common 
people,”  who  of  old,  it  is  said,  “heard  him  (Jesus) 
gladly.”  Many  of  these  being  occupied  during 
the  earlier  part  of  the  day,  found  it  more  con- 
venient to  get  to  church  on  Sunday  nights. 
The  sermon  was  very  simple  and  earnest,  and  it 
seemed  strange  that  so  many  should  not  take 
the  trouble  to  come  and  hear  it. 

“ Katie  wants  to  know  our  opinion  about 
Sunday  amusements,”  said  Mrs.  Lome  to  her 
husband  when  they  were  again  seated  round 
the  fire,  “ and  I referred  her  to  you  to  express 
them.” 

“ It  is  a large  subject,”  said  he,  “ but  I tup* 
pose  it  can  be  looked  at  in  parts.  In  the  first 


272  THREE  TEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

place,  I don’t  think  Sunday  was  ever  intended 
for  a pleasure  day  at  all.  It  was  meant  for  rest, 
refreshment,  and  the  service  of  God.  The 
pleasure-seekers  do  not  secure  either  of  these. 
They  undergo  great  additional  fatigue.  They 
are  jaded  instead  of  refreshed ; and  they  do  not 
worship  God  or  even  attend  the  services  where 
he  is  worshipped.” 

“But  Sunday  is  for  happiness,  papa,”  said 
Helen. 

“ Happiness,  little  daughter,  is  a very  different 
thing  from  pleasure,  as  you  would  know  if  you 
could  compare  your  own  peaceful  gladness  at 
the  close  of  one  of  our  quiet  Sabbaths  with  the 
wretchedness  of  the  crowds  who  dragged  their 
weary  limbs  home  from  the  park  this  afternoon 
at  the  close  of  the  music.” 

“ It  was  the  music  that  I meant,”  said  Katie. 
“ I was  told  that  poor  people  and  work-people 
needed  some  rest  and  recreation  ; that  Sunday 
was  the  only  day  on  which  they  could  have  it ; 
and  that  music  was  the  most  innocent  amuse- 
ment they  could  have.  It  sounded  reasonable, 
and  yet  somehow  I don’t  feel  as  though  it  was 
right.” 


VACATION  AND  RE-OPENING . 2?$ 

“ It  is  not  right,  as  no  reasoning,  no  matter 
how  plausible  it  may  seem,  can  be  which  is 
founded  upon  disobedience  to  the  Word  of 
God.  In  the  first  place,  working-people  do  have 
other  times  when  they  can  listen  to  music,  if 
they  choose  to  do  so.  All  summer  they  have 
long,  light  evenings  which  multitudes  spend  in 
beer-gardens  and  saloons,  when,  if  the  park 
commissioners  chose  so  to  arrange  it,  they 
might  be  listening  to  some  of  the  same  music 
which  is  now  all  condensed  on  Sunday  after- 
noons. And  then  most  of  them  have  several 
hours  on  Saturday,  as  almost  all  the  large  busi- 
ness houses,  stores,  etc.,  close  earlier  on  that 
day.  More  and  more  employers  are  coming 
into  the  early-closing  idea,  and,  no  doubt,  when 
the  community  is  guided  by  a truly  Christian 
spirit,  the  custom  will  be  universal.” 

“ Some  people  maintain  that  as  music  is  ele- 
vating in  its  nature  it  is  a suitable  Sunday 
occupation,”  said  Mrs.  Lome. 

“ That  depends  upon  the  kind  of  music  as 
well  as  the  circumstances  and  the  surroundings 
under  which  it  is  listened  to.  Music  in  church 
is,  of  course,  very  elevating  in  its  character,  and. 


274  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

when  associated  with  sacred  words  and  holy 
ideas,  is  a valuable  means  of  grace.  But  music 
at  the  low  theatres  and  concert  saloons  is  simply 
debasing  in  its  tendency,  and  often  is  a direct 
inciter  of  evil.” 

“ Do  you  think,”  said  Helen,  “ that  the  people 
who  go  to  the  park  on  Sunday  afternoon  care 
much  about  the  music  ? ” 

“ Not  as  a rule.  Some  of  the  Germans  may, 
but  our  American  population  is  not  a musical 
one,  and  the  Irish  are  still  less  so.” 

“ Why  do  they  go  there,  then  ? ” 

“To  have  a good  time, — to  fill  up  the  idle 
hours  of  the  sacred  day,  which  they  do  not 
know  how  to  occupy  in  any  better  way.  They 
like  to  see  the  people  and  the  dress,  to  catch 
the  general  spirit  of  gaiety,  and,  in  multitudes  of 
cases,  to  drink  the  villainous  compounds  which 
are  offered  for  sale  on  every  side.” 

“ My  friends  said  that  the  command  concern- 
ing Sunday  was  about  work,  not  amusement,” 
said  Katie. 

“ And  how  completely  this  Sunday  pleasuring 
violates  that  command.  What  multitudes  of 
people  must  work  harder  on  this  day  than  on 


VACATION  AND  RE-OPENING.  275 

any  other  to  supply  this  amusement.  Car- 
drivers,  gate-keepers,  policemen,  restaurant-keep- 
ers, waiters,  bar-tenders,  and  musicians,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  over-driven  horses,  and  the  over- 
worked mothers,  who  must  dress  up  their  chil- 
dren and  convey  them  to  and  from  the  place 
of  amusement.” 

“Yet  a great  many  good  Christian  people 
advocate  Sunday  recreation,”  said  Mrs.  Lome, 
“on  the  ground  that  the  people  need  fresh  air, 
and  cannot  be  expected  to  sit  in  close  churches, 
taking  part  in  dull  religious  services.” 

“ I know  they  do,  and  I have  often  wondered 
how  they  can  so  admit  that  religious  services 
are  dull  to  them.  If  it  be  so,  we  Christians 
ought  to  bestir  ourselves  and  see  to  it  that  our 
service  of  God  is  made  the  most  attractive 
thing  in  the  world.  As  to  the  fresh-air  plea,  — 
there  is  some  ground  of  truth  in  that.  I have 
often  wished, — seeing  the  popularity  of  camp- 
meetings,  — that  all  our  summer  services  might 
be  conducted  under  tent-roofs  in  the  open 
air.” 

“ I think,”  said  Helen,  “ that  the  noise  and 
shouting  which  we  always  hear  from  the  park 


276  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

when  we  are  at  home  on  Sunday  afternoons  do 
not  seem  much  like  keeping  the  day  holy.” 

“No,  the  tendency  is  just  the  other  way. 
There  is  noise  and  confusion  in  the  over- 
crowded public  conveyances  and  at  the  ends  of 
the  routes.  There  is  noise,  riot,  and  all  sorts 
of  unseemly  behavior  round  the  drinking- 
stands,  which  are  sure  to  accompany  all  Sunday 
pleasuring.  Money  is  worse  than  wasted  that 
is  needed  for  the  support  of  the  people  and  for 
God’s  service ; and  the  deluded  pleasure-seekers, 
instead  of  being  refreshed  and  invigorated,  re- 
turn to  their  homes,  jaded,  soured,  cross,  and 
quarrelsome.” 

“ So  the  Sunday  music  does  good  to  no 
one?” 

“Yes,  the  liquor-dealers  reap  a rich  harvest. 
I am  afraid  the  park  commissioners  care  more 
for  their  opinion  than  for  the  approbation  of 
their  God.” 

“ Don’t  let  us  be  uncharitable,  my  dear,”  said 
Mrs.  Lome. 

“ I don’t  want  to  be,  but  it  fairly  makes  my 
blood  boil  when  I see  the  beneficent  provision 
which  our  wise  heavenly  Father  has  made  for 


VACATION  AND  RE-OPENING.  277 

the  rest,  refreshment,  and  spiritual  growth  of 
his  children,  desecrated  and  degraded  into  a 
heathen  festival,  positively  injurious  to  them,  by 
the  cupidity  and  self-conceit  of  ignorant  and 
designing  men" 


2?8  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD . 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

A FAITHFUL  TEACHER’S  WORK. 

(^^^®MONG  the  changes  which  the  opening 
of  a new  school  year  brought  to  Glen- 
wood  was  a new  teacher  of  the  depart- 
ment to  which  Lilian  Cleveland  returned.  Miss 
Agnes  Maillard  was  a young  lady  governed,  as 
few  even  among  professing  Christians  are,  by 
the  single  desire  to  do  all  things  to  the  glory  of 
God,  and  of  course  she  could  not  enter  upon  her 
position  as  teacher  in  a large  educational  insti- 
tution without  being  deeply  conscious  of  her 
responsibility  regarding  the  multitudes  of  im- 
mortal souls  by  whom  she  was  surrounded. 

That  they  were  young  souls  did  not  alter  the 
fact  that  they  were  not  only  capable  of  sinning, 
but,  unless  the  grace  of  God  intervened,  inclined 
to  sin,  and  the  other  and  better  fact  that,  by  the 
aid  of  that  grace,  each  might  become  a shining 
Hght  to  show  forth  his  glory,  and  to  lead  others 


A FAITHFUL  TEACH  Eli  S WORK . 279 

to  bask  in  its  radiance.  She  felt,  moreover, 
that  this  was  the  most  plastic  time  of  these 
girls’  lives,  and  that  in  all  probability  their 
eternal  destiny  would  hang  on  the  choices  they 
might  now  make,  the  decisions  they  might  form, 
and  the  habits  they  might  cultivate,  and  she 
never  entered  her  school-room  door  without  an 
earnest  repetition  of  the  prayer  which  she  had 
offered  before  leaving  her  chamber,  that  God 
would  so  help  her  to  meet  this  grave  responsi- 
bility that  a great  harvest  of  souls  might  be 
gathered  into  his  kingdom. 

It  took  some  little  time  to  feel  her  way  and 
to  commence  judiciously,  in  view  of  the  many 
conflicting  opinions  and  varied  denominational 
preferences  of  the  families  represented  by  her 
pupils.  She  knew  that  there  is  a zeal  not  accord- 
ing to  knowledge,  and  that  unless  very  careful 
she  might,  in  the  end,  do  more  harm  than  good. 
The  first  step  was  to  request  the  girls  of  her 
class,  when  answering  to  their  names  at  morn- 
ing roll-call,  to  recite  a Scripture  verse  of  their 
own  selection,  with  which  request,  as  the  mat- 
ter was  quite  optional,  nearly  every  one  com- 
plied. Occasionally  a few  words  were  added  by 


280  three  years  at  glenwood. 

the  teacher  to  impress  the  meaning  of  some 
one  of  these  selected  verses  upon  her  charge. 
Next,  in  her  government  of  her  department, 
Miss  Maillard  habituated  her  scholars  to  feel 
that  the  authority  of  God  was  recognized  in  the 
smallest  matters,  and  tried  to  make  the  desire  of 
pleasing  him  the  leading  motive  of  action,  and 
somehow,  without  inducing  the  feeling  of  oppo- 
sition and  antagonism,  which  direct  religious 
exhortations  and  personal  appeals  would  have 
done,  there  was  a general  tone  of  the  constant 
recognition  of  God's  presence  and  claims  which 
expressed  itself  in  both  order  and  scholarship, 
and  made  the  government  of  the  department  a 
vastly  easier  thing  than  such  work  usually  is  ; 
so  much  so,  indeed,  as  to  attract  the  notice  of 
other  teachers,  one  of  whom  once  said,  — 

“ Miss  Maillard,  how  do  you  manage  to  keep 
such  order  in  your  department  ? ” 

“ I let  God  govern  it,”  said  the  young  lady 
reverently,  and  her  questioner  was  greatly  puz- 
zled by  this  application  of  principles  which,  to 
her,  had  always  seemed  to  belong  to  the  church 
and  Sunday-school. 

But  this  degree  of  success  did  not  satisfy  the 


A FAITHFUL  TEACHER’S  WORK.  28 1 


missionary  teacher,  who  remembered  where  it 
is  written,  “ Except  a man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God,”  and  she 
longed  and  prayed  earnestly  for  the  manifested 
presence  of  the  Blessed  Spirit,  by  whose  agency 
alone  this  mighty  miracle  in  the  hearts  of  indi- 
viduals can  be  accomplished.  Her  faith  and 
patience  underwent  a long  trial.  The  bright  fall 
months  passed  away  ; winter  set  in,  the  Christ- 
mas holidays  came,  with  their  distractions  of 
entertainments  and  gifts  and  holidays,  and  then, 
when  studies  were  resumed,  and  January  was 
well  under  way,  came  the  first  drop  of  the 
longed-for  gracious  shower. 

“Miss  Maillard,”  said  a pale,  quiet-looking 
girl  named  Amy  Lee,  one  day,  when  some 
school  duty  brought  her  near  her  teacher’s 
desk,  “ may  I stay  and  talk  with  you  a few  mo- 
ments after  school  to-day  ? I want  to  ask  you 
about  something  very  important,  but  I don’t 
want  the  girls  to  hear.” 

The  teacher  paused  a minute.  Dinner  was 
always  waiting  for  her  at  her  boarding-house  as 
soon  as  school  was  over,  and  dinner  is  quite  as 
important  an  event  to  an  exhausted  teacher  as 


282  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

to  her  pupils ; but  this  might  be  a call  from 
the  Lord  in  answer  to  her  reiterated  prayers, 
and  what  was  any  earthly  interest  in  compari- 
son with  his  call.  “Yes,”  she  said  quietly, 
“ keep  your  seat  when  the  others  go.” 

And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  in  the  quiet  of 
that  deserted  school-room,  made  pleasant  by  the 
slanting  rays  of  the  afternoon  sun,  Amy  told  her 
sympathizing  teacher  of  her  longing  desire  to 
commence  a Christian  life,  of  her  blindness  and 
ignorance  regarding  the  way,  the  sinfulness  of 
her  heart  and  life ; how,  when  she  tried  to  be 
good,  she  only  did  wrong  more  and  more,  and 
how  she  did  n’t  believe  it  possible  that  she  ever 
should  be  a Christian. 

And  then  the  glad  teacher,  glad  of  the  evi- 
dent work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  glad  that  she 
had  it  to  tell,  told  the  anxious  young  girl  the 
story  of  heavenly  love  that  grows  ever  sweeter 
in  the  telling  — the  story  of  the  Cross  and  of  the 
risen  Saviour,  who  is  waiting  just  now  to  receive 
and  help  all  who  feel  their  need  of  him.  And 
the  sad,  anxious  expression  went  out  of  Amy’s 
eyes  as  she  listened,  and  as  she  said,  — 

“ Please,  Miss  Maillard,  ask  Him  to  take  me.” 


A FAITHFUL  TEACH El? S WORK . 283 

The  young  teacher  had  never  prayed  aloud 
before  any  one.  She  belonged  to  a denomination 
where  such  things  are  not  common,  but,  how- 
ever embarrassed  she  might  feel,  she  could 
not  hesitate  now.  Kneeling  at  once  by  the  side 
of  her  pupil,  she  poured  out  a prayer  that  in  its  - 
earnestness  and  simplicity  proved  itself  to  have 
been  dictated  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  a few  simple  words,  in  which  Amy 
gave  herself  away  entirely  into  her  Saviour's 
keeping,  and  took  him  and  all  that  he  offered 
to  be  hers  forevermore. 

It  was  almost  dark  when  the  consecrated 
teacher  reached  her  home  that  afternoon,  but 
the  glad  joy  of  being  thus  made  an  instrument 
of  God  in  the  highest  and  holiest  work  for  souls 
was  ample  repayment  for  the  little  sacrifice  she 
had  been  called  upon  to  make.  And  this  was 
only  the  beginning.  Amy  Lee  could  not  keep 
her  good  tidings  to  herself.  Her  radiant  face 
alone  told  its  happy  story,  and  she  very  soon 
brought  a companion  to  inquire  the  way  of  life 
of  her  teacher  friend.  Others  soon  followed. 
There  was  considerable  religious  interest  stirring 
in  the  churches  and  in  the  community.  The 


284  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

hearts  of  many  of  the  girls  were  touched  by 
what  they  heard  in  church  and  Sunday-school, 
and  they  brought  the  personal  questions  thus 
awakened  to  their  teacher  for  solution.  Spare 
moments  between  recitations  and  at  recess  were 
seized  for  this  purpose,  and  Miss  Maillard  spent 
many  more  afternoons  in  that  quiet  school-room, 
pointing  awakened  young  souls  to  the  “ Lamb  of 
God,  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world.” 
But  the  young  teacher  felt  the  need  of  great 
wisdom  here.  It  was  not  to  be  expected  that 
all  parents  would  sympathize  with  a movement 
of  this  nature.  They  sent  their  children  to 
school  to  acquire  a secular  education,  and  they 
would  have  a right  to  complain  should  school- 
time  be  diverted  from  its  legitimate  objects,  so, 
after  considerable  thought  and  some  earnest 
prayer,  she  devised  a plan  which  proved  to  be 
highly  successful.  Towards  the  close  of  school, 
one  day,  she  said  with  cheerful  seriousness, 
“ Girls,  you  must  all  be  aware  that  there  is  among 
you  an  uncommon  interest  in  your  own  salvation 
and  your  personal  relations  to  Christ.  One  and 
another  have  come  to  me,  asking  me  to  show 
them  the  way,  and  some,  I humbly  believe,  have 


A FAITHFUL  TEACH EH S WORK.  285 

found  it,  and  are  happier  than  they  ever  were  in 
their  lives  before.  Is  it  not  so  ? ” Three  or  four 
bright  faces  answered  her.  “Now,”  she  contin- 
ued, “I  don't  want  this  to  interfere  with  our 
school-work.  It  would  be  a poor  way  to  com- 
mence serving  God  by  neglecting  the  duties  he 
has  given  us  to  do,  but  I will  be  glad  to  give 
you  all  the  out-of-school  time  I can,  and  if  any 
of  you  would  like  to  remain  a few  moments  to- 
day and  talk  with  me  concerning  personal 
religion,  I shall  be  glad  to  have  you  do  so.” 

About  a dozen,  including  Amy  Lee  and  her 
companions  and  Lilian  Cleveland,  did  so.  And 
this  was  the  commencement  of  the  half-hour 
prayer-meetings  which  during  the  winter  months 
of  three  school  years,  that  is,  during  Miss  Mail- 
lard’s  connection  with  Glenwood,  were  held 
every  Wednesday  afternoon  at  the  close  of  the 
session.  As  these  little  meetings  were  a real 
thing,  and  as  their  influence  will  be  felt  through 
all  eternity,  the  reader  will  pardon  a somewhat 
minute  description  of  them. 

They  began  informally,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  in  a personal  talk  with  two  or  three  young 
girls,  but  as  the  numbers  increased,  * — the  giris 


286  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOOD . 


asking  permission  to  bring  their  companions 
from  other  departments, — a somewhat  regular 
programme  was  observed.  There  were  hymns 
(Miss  Maillard  procured  about  two  dozen  small 
hymn-books),  and  opening  and  closing  prayer  ; a 
few  verses  of  Scripture  were  read  and  explained, 
and  an  illustrative  story  or  incident  told  by  the 
teacher,  with  a direct  personal  application  and 
impressive  admonition  to  decide  for  Christ  now. 
The  girls  were  encouraged  to  ask  questions  on 
points  that  interested  or  puzzled  them,  but  not 
to  talk  of  their  own  personal  experience  before 
their  companions,  though  occasionally  the  aid 
of  testimony  was  secured  by  the  request  to  those 
who  had  found  Jesus  as  their  own  Saviour  to 
raise  their  hands.  There  was  never  any  hesitation 
in  obeying  this  call,  and  as  time  went  on,  there 
was  a goodly  array  of  witnesses.  Sometimes, 
too,  the  girls  who  would  like  to  enter  into 
this  blessed  way  of  life  were  asked  to  raise 
their  hands,  and,  if  any  did  so,  Miss  Maillard  in- 
vited them  to  remain  after  the  meeting  was 
over,  or  after  school  on  other  days  of  the  week, 
to  talk  personally  with  her,  and  in  this  way,  as 
time  went  on,  many  more  entered  into  the 


A FAITHFUL  TEACHER'S  WORK . 287 


kingdom  of  heaven.  The  interest  was  gen- 
erally greatest  in  February  and  March,  about 
which  time  special  meetings  were  being  held  in 
the  churches ; and  both  pastors  and  Sunday- 
school  teachers  came  to  look  upon  the  earnest 
school-teacher,  doing  her  unostentatious  work, 
as  one  of  their  most  valuable  auxiliaries.  At 
first  Miss  Maillard  had  feared  that  in  inaugu- 
rating such  a movement  as  this  she  might  be 
considered  by  the  trustees  and  other  officers  as 
taking  a liberty,  and  that  the  other  teachers 
would  not  approve,  but,  to  her  surprise,  the 
principal,  on  being  consulted,  gave  his  full  per- 
mission, “ provided  she  proceeded  with  discre- 
tion,” and  though  the  other  teachers  never 
offered  assistance  or  sympathy,  neither  did  they 
discourage  any  of  their  own  pupils  from  attend- 
ing if  they  chose.  A good  many  girls  from  the 
other  departments  did  attend,  and  Miss  Maillard 
found  substantial  assistance  from  a few  of  the 
elder  girls,  who^  with  the  enthusiasm  of  earnest 
young  Christian  workers,  came  to  her  aid. 
Among  the  most  efficient  of  these  were  Katie 
Robertson  and  Helen  Lome.  The  former  had 
been  urged  to  come  by  Lilian,  and  the  latter 


288  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOOD . 

now  went  everywhere  with  her  room-mate. 
For  Helen’s  great  news  which  she  imparted  to 
her  friend  at  the  close  of  the  last  recorded  visit 
was,  that  Mrs.  Lome,  who  had  been  for  some 
time  out  of  health,  was  going  to  accompany  her 
husband  to  Europe,  and,  not  liking  to  take  her 
daughter  away  from  her  studies,  had  placed  her 
at  the  Glenwood  boarding-house,  where,  as  all 
the  rooms  except  Katie’s  were  full,  the  latter 
was  delighted  to  receive  her  dearly  loved  friend 
as  her  room-mate.  And  the  two  girls  proved  of 
great  advantage  to  each  other  in  both  intel- 
lectual and  spiritual  progress. 

Helen  was  still  one  class  ahead  of  Katie  in 
the  school,  and,  being  of  even  greater  intellec- 
tual capacity,  kept  her  distance  without  any  par- 
ticular effort,  which  had  the  effect  of  keeping 
the  latter  humble  while  at  the  same  time  excit- 
ing her  ambition  and  spurring  her  onward. 

The  two  girls  were  as  one  in  all  those  matters 
which  were  nearest  to  their  hearts.  Together 
they  studied  the  Bible,  and  together  they  knelt 
morning  and  evening,  offering  together  the 
prayers  which  enabled  them  to  walk  success- 
fully and  safely  through  the  day’s  duties  and 


A FAITHFUL  TEACHER'S  WORK.  289 

pleasures,  and  learning  thus  to  pray  aloud  in 
each  other’s  presence,  they  were  fitted  to  be  of 
great  use  in  assisting  Miss  Maillard  with  her 
little  meetings. 

Helen  Lome  was  as  much  of  a favorite  at  the 
boarding-house  as  she  had  been  at  the  Institute, 
and  had  Katie  been  of  a jealous  disposition,  she 
might  have  felt  troubled  at  giving  up  so  much 
of  her  friend’s  recreation  time  to  the  other  girls 
who  claimed  her.  But  Helen  was  always  true 
to  her  room-mate,  and  now  that  both  had  com- 
menced this  delightful  work  for  Christ  and  the 
souls  of  their  school-mates,  a new  bond  of  union 
seemed  to  bind  them  closer  than  ever  before. 
It  was  the  first  real  work  of  this  kind  in  which 
Helen  had  ever  engaged,  and  she  threw  hersell 
into  it  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  her  nature. 

Her  studies  and  the  other  pleasant  things 
of  her  school  life  dwindled  into  insignificance 
by  the  side  of  this  newer  and  more  delightful 
occupation.  Indeed,  for  the  first  time  in  her 
life,  “Miss  Lome  ” received  a gentle  reprimand 
for  inattention  from  her  class  teacher,  and 
an  imperfect  recitation  was  chronicled  against 
her  name.  When  her  teacher  came  to  inquire 


290  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD , 

how  this  unwonted  thing  had  happened,  it 
appeared  that  last  night’s  study  hour  had  been 
devoted  to  writing  notes  to  some  of  the  girls 
who  attended  the  meetings,  and  the  young  lady 
was  told  that  it  is  more  religious  to  attend  to 
our  duties  than  to  do  anything  else  whatever. 

Helen  was  a little  puzzled  about  this  presen- 
tation of  the  case,  and  wished  very  much  that  it 
were  in  her  power  to  consult  her  mother  about 
it.  But  as  this  could  not  be,  she  wrote  a little 
note  for  the  “ question-box  ” next  Wednesday, 
with  the  words,  — 

“ Is  it  possible  to  be  too  much  engaged  in 
the  service  of  Christ,”  and  waited  patiently  for 
Miss  Maillard’s  answer. 

This  question-box  was  a suggestion  of  Katie’s, 
who  had  seen  it  used  with  such  good  effect  in 
the  “ Do-Good  Society  ” at  Squantown.  Our 
readers  will  remember  that  it  was  merely  a little 
pasteboard  box  with  a slit  in  the  cover.  At  the 
opening  of  every  meeting  it  was  passed  round, 
and  any  girl  who  chose  dropped  into  it  a folded 
paper  on  which  was  written  some  question, 
but  with  no  signature.  The  leader  took  these 
out,  opened,  read,  and  answered  them  as  she 


A FAITHFUL  TEACHER'S  WORK.  29 1 


thought  best,  sometimes  calling  upon  the  girls 
for  the  answers.  Often  the  same  question  was 
duplicated,  and  occasionally  it  was  too  foolish 
or  irrelevant  to  be  worth  answering  at  all ; but 
usually  the  questions  were  such  as  expressed  the 
real  perplexities  of  the  writers,  and,  besides 
suggesting  important  and  interesting  topics  to 
talk  about,  served  as  an  index  to  the  real  needs 
of  the  girls.  Often  they  were  exceedingly  sim- 
ple, the  attendants  of  the  meetings  being 
mostly  younger  girls,  and  sometimes  they  were 
worded  in  such  a way  as  to  greatly  embarrass 
Miss  Maillard  in  giving  the  proper  answer. 
Two  examples  will  illustrate.  On  one  occasion 
the  question  read  was,  — 

“ Is  it  wrong  to  eat  candy  ? ” 

The  answer  given  was,  — 

“Not  in  proper  quantities,  at  proper  times, 
and  with  the  consent  of  your  parents.  But 
everything  is  wrong  that  produces  selfishness, 
greediness,  or  forgetfulness  of  God,  who  has 
given  us  all  things  richly  to  enjoy.” 

“ Is  it  wicked  to  dance  and  go  to  the  theatre  ? 
My  mother  always  does,  and  sometimes  she 
takes  me/' 


2g2  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD . 


Such  questions  must  be  delicately  handled. 
Miss  Maillard  avoided  the  difficulty  by  say- 
ing, — 

“ I cannot  say  a word  concerning  what  your 
parents  do;  I want  you  to  come  to  Jesus  and 
become  Christians.  Then  ask  the  Lord  what 
he  wants  you  to  do  under  the  circumstances, 
and  I am  sure  he  will  lead  you  to  decide  so  as 
to  please  him.” 

In  answer  to  Helen’s  query,  she  said, — 

“ No,  it  is  impossible  to  be  too  much  devoted 
to  the  service  of  our  Saviour,  or  to  give  up  too 
much  for  him  who  gave  up  his  life  for  us.  But- 
we  must  be  careful  to  see  that  it  is  his  will  and 
not  our  own  inclinations  that  we  are  following. 
It  is  sometimes  much  pleasanter  to  go  to  a 
prayer  meeting  and  talk  about  religious  things 
than  to  attend  to  some  well-known  though 
perhaps  disagreeable  duty.  We  are  all  apt  to 
be  absorbed  by  some  one  thing  to  the  exclusion 
of  others.  But  no  service  can  really  be  for 
Christ  which  causes  us  to  neglect  any  one  thing 
which  he  has  given  us  to  do.” 

“ But,”  said  Helen,  in  her  eagerness  betray- 
ing her  authorship  of  the  question,  “ everything 


A FAITHFUL  TEACHERS  WORK.  293 


else  seems  of  so  little  consequence.  Studies 
and  accomplishments,  and  all  that,  are  only  for 
a little  time,  but  human  souls  are  immortal, 
and  what  you  do  for  them  lasts  forever.” 

“ We  are  not  called  to  judge  of  the  compara- 
tive importance  of  any  duty,  but  only  to  decide 
whether  God  has  given  it  to  us  to  do.  The  sim- 
ple desire  to  please  him  at  any  cost  to  ourselves 
is  what  he  requires  in  us,  and  it  may  be  more 
religious  for  us  to  entirely  stay  away  from 
prayer-meetings  and  abstain  from  religious  work 
than  to  engage  in  any  active  service  whatever. 
Lessons  are  the  appointed  duties  of  school- 
girls. God  has  given  them  both  their  talents 
and  the  opportunities  to  cultivate  them.  Their 
parents,  also,  have  a right  to  expect  them  to 
make  the  most  of  their  time  and  of  the  money 
expended  upon  their  education.” 

"Then,”  said  Helen,  greatly  disappointed, 
“ we  are  not  to  ‘ seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  his  righteousness/  ” 

“ Yes,  we  are,  first  in  time  and  first  in  impor- 
tance. No  one  has  a right  to  do  anything  else 
until  she  has  come  to  Christ  and  accepted  his 
salvation  ; but  this  ought  to  be  at  our  first  con* 


294  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOOD. 

scious  moment,  and  it  does  not  take  any  time  to 
believe  in  Christ.  When  we  are  Christians  it  is 
of  course  our  first  or  chief  thought  to  seek  to 
please  our  Master  in  all  our  actions,  and  it  is  by 
yielding  to  his  authority  — that  is,  by  obeying 
him  — that  we  help  to  establish  his  kingdom.” 
“ But,  Miss  Maillard,  you  tell  other  people 
about  Jesus  and  try  to  lead  them  to  him/’ 
"Yes,  dear;  because  he  has  commissioned 
all  his  children  to  1 preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature,’  and  he  hath  said,  ‘ Let  him  thathear- 
eth  say,  Come.’  That  command  is  spoken  to  you 
as  well  as  to  me.  You  can  always  be  ‘ preach- 
ing’ by  example,  and  saying  ‘ come,’  by  loving, 
earnest  words  to  your  companions,  only  don’t 
neglect  your  other  duties  while  doing  it,  thus 
bringing  reproach  upon  your  religion.  God  will 
give  you  plenty  of  time  and  opportunity  for  all 
that  he  gives  you  to  do,  if  you  ask  him  and 
are  sincerely  anxious  to  please  him.” 

Helen  thought  a good  deal  about  this  conver- 
sation, and  no  one  ever  again  found  fault  with 
her  recitations.  Somehow  she  always  found  time 
enough  to  attend  the  meetings,  write  notes,  and 
talk  with  the  girls  who  needed  her  assistance, 
without,  in  doing  so,  neglecting  anything  else. 


FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIFE. 


295 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIFE. 

MONG  the  earliest  and  most  regular 
attendants  at  Miss  Maillard’s  meetings 
was  Lilian  Cleveland,  who,  as  a matter 
of  course,  brought  her  cousin  Nina  with  hery 
since  Nina  did  not  like  to  walk  through  the 
streets  of  the  great  city  alone,  and  as  Sophronia, 
who,  by  the  way,  held  carefully  aloof  from  the 
whole  movement,  “ did  not  like  to  be  bothered 
with  babies,”  she  was  obliged  to  wait  for  her 
younger  cousin. 

Lilian  had  been  for  a long  time  thinking  very 
deeply  upon  religious  things.  Her  general  weak- 
ness had  disinclined  her  for  the  merry  games 
and  sports  of  other  children,  and  her  frequent 
illnesses  had  given  her  a great  deal  of  time  to 
think.  Not  that  she  was  for  this  reason  any  bet- 
ter girl  than  many  others  who  did  not  think  so 
much.  She  was  discontented  and  fretful,  and 


2g  6 THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


often  rebellious  because  she  could  not  enjoy  as 
much  as  other  girls  around  her,  and  as  she  grew 
older  her  very  thoughtfulness  increased  her  irri- 
tability. She  felt  this  and  made  desperate  efforts 
at  times  to  “be good,”  as  shecalled  it  at  first — to 
“ be  a Christian,”  as  she  expressed  herself  after 
she  had  known  Katie.  These  good  fits,  built 
upon  no  better  foundation  than  her  own  efforts, 
of  course  passed  away  after  a time;  but  it  was 
proof  that  God's  spirit  was  whispering  to  her, 
that  they  returned  again  and  again,  each  time 
accompanied  by  greater  earnestness  of  longing, 
and  a deeper  disgust  at  herself. 

She  was  very  near  the  Kingdom  last  winter 
when  she  came  to  Katie  for  advice  and  was  so 
ignorantly  repulsed.  Then  the  hurry  and  ex- 
citement of  the  entertainment  filled  her  mind 
with  other  things,  and  for  a while  the  illness 
which  followed  prevented  all  thought  of  any- 
thing except  her  own  sufferings,  and  she  was 
more  impatient  under  them  and  more  irritable 
than  ever  before.  But  as  she  began  to  get 
about  again  and  go  out,  her  religious  impressions 
began  to  deepen  and  a settled  melancholy  took 
possession  of  her,  which  only  one  thing  could 


FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIFE. 


297 


ever  remove.  She  began  to  see  herself  not  so 
much  to  be  pitied  as  to  be  blamed.  The  faults 
against  which  she  had  at  times  striven  so  hard 
showed  themselves  to  her  as  sins,  and  yet  at 
the  same  time  she  felt  utterly  powerless  to 
conquer  them.  The  more  she  thought  about 
God  the  more  she  felt  her  sinful  ingratitude  in 
being  discontented  with  her  own  lot  and  her 
unlikeness  to  the  character  of  the  meek  and 
lowly  Jesus.  She  knew  she  ought  to  love  him, 
and  she  tried  to  make  herself  do  so,  but  she 
soon  learned  the  lesson,  which  we  all  of  us  have 
to  learn,  that  no  one  can  make  himself  feel . 
She  knew  she  ought  to  forgive  Sophronia’s 
many  little  unkindnesses,  and  be  kind  and  loving 
to  her  in  return,  but  this  she  could  not  do. 
Even  if  she  forced  herself  to  do  pleasant  things 
she  could  not  feel  pleasantly  about  them,  and 
sometimes  it  seemed  to  her  almost  as  if  she 
hated  her  sister. 

As  the  weeks  and  months  of  the  vacation 
dragged  by,  no  one  had  time  to  think  of  the 
weary  little  frame  that,  just  recovering  from  its 
long  illness,  should  have  had  rest,  recreation,  and 
the  invigoration  of  pure  country  air.  All  were 


298  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


intent  upon  the  preparations  for  Augusta’s  wed- 
ding,— that  young  lady’s  wardrobe,  which  was 
an  extremely  fashionable  one,  being  all  made  at 
home,  as  were  also  the  wedding-cake  and  other 
refreshments  for  the  reception.  Lilian  tried  to 
be  helpful  and  kind  in  the  emergency,  to  run 
everybody’s  errands  and  share  everybody’s  work. 
But  somehow  her  irritable  temper  would  get 
the  better  of  her.  Cross,  sharp  words  would 
slip  out,  as  it  seemed,  against  her  will,  and 
often  passionate  floods  of  tears  would  end  her 
attempts  at  “ making  herself  a Christian.” 

“ Lilian  is  n’t  real  well  yet,”  her  mother  would 
say  at  such  times,  and  good-natured  Augusta 
would  add,  “ Poor  little  pussy  ! ” but  no  one 
thought  of  the  unhappiness  lying  underneath 
this  fretful  irritability. 

Many  a time  the  little  girl  would  gladly  have 
thrown  her  arms  around  the  neck  of  that  good- 
natured  sister,  whom  she  knew  to  be  at  least  a 
church-member,  and  besought  her  to  tell  her 
how  to  become  a Christian,  but  there  never 
seemed  to  be  an  opportune  moment.  Either 
there  was  a dress  to  be  tried  on  or  a direction  to 
give  about  trimming,  or  else  Mr.  Peake  had  come 


FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIFE. 


2 99 


and  must  discuss  matters  with  the  bride-elect,  or 
take  her  out.  Besides  Lilian’s  mind  had  got 
into  a morbid  state.  She  was  afraid  she  should 
be  sick  again  and  die,  and  if  she  died  she  knew 
she  could  not  go  to  that  heaven  to  which  only 
Christians  can  go,  and  somehow  this  thought 
seemed  too  awful  and  painful  to  tell  to  anyone. 

So  the  wedding  and  its  excitements  passed 
away,  and  school  opened  and  lessons  began. 
From  the  first,  Lilian  felt  drawn  to  her  new 
teacher.  There  was  something  about  Miss 
Maillard  that  instinctively  won  confidence,  and 
seeing  her  earnest  Christian  character,  which 
openly  recognized  the  claims  of  God  in  every- 
thing, Lilian,  could  she  have  overcome  her 
shyness,  would  at  once  have  confided  her  trouble 
and  sought  advice.  The  commencement  of  the 
meetings  at  once  afforded  the  opportunity  she 
sought,  and,  as  we  have  seen,  she  was  a constant 
attendant. 

“ Lilian,  do  you  love  Jesus  ? ” said  Miss  Mail- 
lard abruptly,  as  she  chanced  to  stand  near  the 
young  girl  when  the  meeting  was  over  and  most 
of  the  other  girls  had  gone  home.  It  was  a way 
she  had  of  breaking  the  ice.  The  words  were 


300  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD . 

spoken  kindly  and  in  a way  not  to  cause  embar- 
rassment, but  in  so  decided  a manner  as  to  com- 
pel an  arrest  of  thought. 

Lilian  blushed,  hesitated,  and  then  said, — 

“ Oh,  no,  Miss  Maillard,  I don't.  I can't." 

“ Can’t  love  any  one  so  well  worthy  of  being 
loved  ! How  can  that  be  ? ’’ 

“ Because  I am  so  wicked,  I suppose.  You 
don’t  know  how  wicked  I am.  I don’t  believe 
there  was  ever  any  one  half  so  bad.’’ 

Now  Miss  Maillard  had  reason  to  consider 
Lilian  Cleveland  as  one  of  the  best  girls  in  her 
department,  for,  ever  since  the  vacation,  her 
efforts  at  being  good  had  taken  the  shape  of 
great  faithfulness  in  attention  to  school  duties. 
Strangely,  as  it  seemed  to  her,  her  success  in 
these  efforts  did  not  make  her  any  happier 
or  bring  her  nearer  to  God,  but  they  did  save 
her  teacher  from  the  trouble  which  idle  and 
refractory  pupils  always  give,  and  she  was 
slightly  surprised  at  this  confession  of  deep  sin- 
fulness. But  she  was  wise,  or,  rather,  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  whom  she  trusted  put  words  of  wis- 
dom into  her  mouth,  and  she  said,  — 

“ Don’t  think  about  yourself,  Lilian,  but  about 


FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIFE. 


301 


all  the  reason  there  is  for  loving  our  blessed 
Lord  Jesus.  Do  you  know  what  he  has  done 
for  you  ? ” 

“ Oh,  yes  ! I ’ve  been  to  Sunday-school  and 
church  all  my  life.  I know  it  all,  but  it  don’t 
seem  to  help  me.” 

“ Let  me  tell  it  to  you  again.  Perhaps  you 
may  see  it  as  you  never  did  before.”  And 
she  told  once  more  the  old,  sweet  story  of  love 
and  sacrifice  which  loyal  and  true  hearts  never 
tire  of  telling.  Lilian’s  eyes  filled  with  tears  as 
she  said,  — 

“ O Miss  Maillard,  I must  be  more  wicked 
than  I ever  thought  myself  not  to  be  a Christian 
after  all  that.  I should  think  God  would  hate 
me.” 

“ God  is  love  ; he  cannot  hate  any  one.  Why 
can’t  you  love  him  ? ” 

“ I am  not  a Christian  ; I ’ve  got  to  be  made 
into  one.  You  know  people  must  be  converted 
or  they  can’t  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.” 

“ Yes,  I know,  but  God  has  provided  all  that 
is  necessary  for  that.  You  have  only  to  give 
up  sin  and  trust  him ; he  will  do  the  rest. 
Won’t  you  do  your  part  ? ” 


302  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD . 


“ Yes  ! ” said  Lilian  ; but  she  did  not  look  any 
happier,  and  went  home  if  possible  more  de- 
sponding than  ever. 

This  state  of  things  continued  for  more 
than  three  weeks,  during  which  the  watchful 
and  anxious  teacher  realized  her  own  inability 
to  do  God’s  work,  while  wondering  why  the 
poor  girl  did  not  find  the  peace  and  joy  in  be- 
lieving which  came  to  so  many  of  her  compan- 
ions day  after  day.  Again  and  again  she  talked 
with  her,  explaining  the  way  of  salvation  by 
faith,  in  the  simplest,  clearest  words  possible. 
She  prayed  with  her  alone  and  in  the  meetings  ; 
she  prayed  for  her  much  in  private,  and  Lilian 
prayed  for  herself  night  and  morning  and  a 
dozen  times  a day;  but  it  did  not  seem  to  her 
that  God  heard  or  would  answer  her.  She  did 
not  feel  any  differently  ; she  was  the  same  Lilian 
still,  seeming  to  herself  to  grow  worse  and 
worse.  She  was  still  trying  to  be  or  do  or  feel 
something  in  her  own  heart  and  life — in  a word 
she  was  studying  her  own  sinful,  weak  self,  in- 
stead of  “ looking  unto  Jesus.”  But  her  teacher 
could  not  make  her  see  this,  and  so  the  days 
passed  by,  and  the  gloom  on  Lilian’s  face  be- 
came heavier  and  heavier. 


FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIFE. 


303 


School  was  over  one  afternoon,  most  of  the 
girls  had  gone  home,  but  Lilian  and  her  teacher 
were  putting  on  their  “wraps'*  in  the  ward- 
robe. It  was  some  time  since  the  former  had 
spoken  to  the  latter  directly  and  personally. 
What  she  said  appeared  to  do  no  good,  and  she 
actually  feared  to  do  harm  by  repeated  exhorta- 
tions which  must  in  the  end  lose  their  power. 
But  she  looked  at  her  downcast  face  with  yearn- 
ing sorrow,  and  a silent  prayer  went  up  from 
her  heart  for  wisdom  to  say  one  last  and  effect- 
ive word.  At  this  moment  an  older  girl,  a mem- 
ber of  another  department,  who  had  occasionally 
been  present  at  the  meetings,  and  had  recently 
attended  special  services  held  in  her  own  church, 
came  up  to  Miss  Maillard  with  a beaming  face, 
threw  her  arms  around  the  young  lady’s  neck, 
and  said,  — 

“ I found  Jesus  last  night,  and  I ’m  so  happy 
I don’t  know  what  to  do  with  myself.  Are  n’t 
you  glad  ? ” 

“ Indeed  I am,  dear,  and  very  thankful,”  said 
the  teacher,  returning  her  caress,  and  then  seiz- 
ing upon  the  somewhat  unwonted  expression, 
“found  Jesus,”  and  its  childish  use  in  this  con- 


304  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

nection,  she  turned  to  Lilian,  who  stood  looking 
wistfully  on,  saying, — 

“ Have  you  found  Jesus  yet,  Lilian  ?” 

“ No,  I can’t ; I never  shall.” 

“ Listen  to  me,  Lilian.  It  must  be  either 
your  fault  or  God’s.  Which  is  it?” 

“ O Miss  Maillard  ! ” said  Lilian,  opening  her 
eyes  very  wide,  “ it  can  t be  God’s.” 

“Then  it  is  yours.  Let  us  see  if  we  can  find 
where  the  fault  lies.  You  know  repentance 
and  faith  are  the  two  conditions  of  salvation. 
Either  you  do  not  repent,  — that  is,  you  are  not 
really  sorry  for  your  sins  and  determined  to  for- 
sake them  ; you  are  not  in  earnest  about  being  a 
Christian,  — or  you  do  not  believe  God’s  word.” 
“ I am  in  earnest,  — you  know  I am,  Miss 
Maillard, — and  how  can  I help  believing  what 
God  says  ? ” 

“ Then  you  think  you  have  really  1 come  to 

J*\  > >> 

esus  r 

“ I am  sure  I have  ; I have  come  a great  many 
times  all  these  many  weeks.”  She  spoke  with 
earnest  conviction,  and  her  teacher  knew  that 
she  spoke  the  truth. 

“ Lilian,”  she  said,  “you  know  the  verse, 


FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIFE. 


305 


1 Him  that  cometh  unto  me,’  — what  is  the  rest 
of  it?” 

“ * I will  in  no  wise  cast  out/  ” said  Lilian 
slowly. 

“ If  he  does  not  ‘ cast  out/  what  does  he  do  ? ” 

“ Receives,  I suppose/’ 

“ Receives  who  ? ” 

“ Receives  you,  — anybody.” 

“ Change  your  pronoun  ; ” said  Miss  Maillard, 
almost  breathlessly,  “ you  know  what  I mean. 
We  are  studying  about  pronouns  in  the  class 
now.” 

“ Receives  me"  said  Lilian,  a sudden  light 
flashing  into  her  eyes. 

“ That  is  it ; now  not  another  word  to  me,  but 
go  home  repeating  to  yourself,  ‘ Jesus  receives 
me]  and  repeat  it  till  you  believe  it,”  and,  giv- 
ing her  pupil  an  earnest  kiss,  she  fairly  ran 
away,  lest  another  ill-judged  word  should 
weaken  the  impression  produced. 

We  shall  not  follow  Lilian  in  her  homeward 
walk,  where  she  was  so  abstracted  from  every- 
thing around  her  as  not  even  to  hear  the  many 
questions  addressed  to  her  by  little  Nina;  nor 
to  her  own  room,  where,  in  the  presence  of  the 


300  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

Father  who  seeth  in  secret,  she  again  and  again 
repeated  the  simple  formula  of  trust,  and  where 
the  Holy  Spirit  whispered  in  return  thofce  pre- 
cious things  which  cannot  be  translated  into 
human  language. 

The  next  morning  Miss  Maillard,  who  had 
come  to  school  early  on  purpose,  passing  her 
arm  round  Lilian’s  waist,  said,  — though  she 
hardly  needed  to  ask  the  question,  for  never  had 
Lilian’s  countenance  been  so  radiant  before, — 
“ How  is  it  to-day,  little  one  ? ” 

“ I am  sure  the  sun  never  was  so  bright 
before,  and  there  never  was  so  beautiful  a 
morning.  And  I am  so  happy  I can’t  tell  you.” 
“ What  makes  you  so  happy  ? ” 

“ Because  I am  a Christian.” 

“ How  do  you  know  you  are  a Christian  ? ” 

“ Because  Jesus  says  so.  He  says  if  anybody 
comes  to  him  he  won’t  cast  him  out.  So,  of 
course,  he  receives  me.” 

“ But,  Lily,  you  have  known  this  all  along. 
I have  been  trying  to  make  you  see  it  for  the 
last  month.” 

“ Yes,  I know.  It  was  true,  but  it  wasn’t 
true  for  me.  I did  n't  believe  iti' 


FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIFE.  307 

Lilian  Cleveland  was  one  of  those  delicately 
sensitive  girls  who  cannot  help  showing  what  is 
passing  within  them.  Her  depression  of  spirit 
had  been  so  marked  that  every  one  noticed  it. 
Her  mother  even  feared  that  she  would  settle 
into  a permanent  state  of  melancholy  which 
would  perhaps  in  time  affect  her  brain.  Her 
companions  found  her  dull  society.  Her  sisters 
stigmatized  her  as  “ cross,”  and  most  of  her 
teachers  as  “ sullen.”  But  the  change  now  was 
so  marked  that  every  one  would  have  been  com- 
pelled to  “ take  knowledge  of  her  that  she  had 
been  with  Jesus,”  even  if,  in  the  exuberance  of 
her  joyous  enthusiasm,  she  had  not  taken  every 
opportunity  of  telling  them  so.  Her  secret  was 
such  a glad  one  that  she  could  not  keep  it  to 
herself,  and  greatly  astonished  all  her  home 
friends  by  talking  in  a language  which  some  of 
them  had  never  learned,  and  some  had  almost 
forgotten.  She  even  told  her  Sunday-school 
teacher ; and  that  careless  young  lady  awoke 
from  her  lethargy  to  find  that  while  she  slept 
some  one  else  had  taken  her  crown. 

Of  course  Katie  Robertson  was  soon  told  the 
good  news,  and  in  telling  it  Lilian  said, — 


308  three  years  at  glen  wood, 

“ Why  did  n’t  you  tell  me  what  an  easy  thing 
it  is  to  believe  in  Christ.  All  last  winter  I was 
trying  to  find  the  way,  and  I thought  you  would 
tell  me,  but  you  did  n’t.” 

“ Lilian,”  said  Katie,  as  a sudden  remem- 
brance smote  her,  “ was  this  what  you  wanted 
to  ask  me  about  that  day  when  I told  you  I 
had  n’t  time?  ” 

“Yes,”  said  Lilian,  but  seeing  her  friend’s 
look  of  distress,  she  added,  — 

“ Never  mind.  It ’s  all  right  now.  I don’t 
want  anything  to  be  different,  I ’m  so  happy.” 
“ I know  that.  But  how  can  I ever  forgive 
myself  for  being  so  much  taken  up  with  my 
own  vanity  as  not  to  take  time  to  attend  to 
you  ? If  I did  not  know  that  God  had  forgiven 
all  the  sins  and  wanderings  of  that  time,  I 
shouldn’t  think  he  ever  could.  But  I am  re- 
solved about  one  thing.  At  any  rate,  I will 
never  again  be  so  absorbed  in  anything  as 
not  to  be  ready  for  any  work  God  may  call 
me  to  do  for  him.  This  must  be  what  it 
means  to  4 seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and 
his  righteousness.’  ” 

Lilian’s  new-born  joy,  while  it  did  not  at  all 


FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIFE.  309 

interfere  with  the  faithful  performance  of  all  her 
school  duties,  giving  her,  on  the  other  hand,  a 
quickness  of  perception  which  she  never  had 
possessed  before,  showed  itself  largely  in  her 
zeal  to  lead  others  to  the  dear  Saviour  whom 
she  had  found.  She  watched  her  opportunities, 
and  by  a kindly,  urgent  word  spoken  here,  ora 
sweet  little  note  written  there,  she  induced  one 
girl  after  another  to  come  to  the  meetings,  and, 
having  once  come,  she  never  lost  sight  of  or  let 
them  go  till  they  were  personally  interested  in 
the  most  important  of  all  questions,  “ What 
shall  I do  to  be  saved/’  and  came  to  Miss  Mail- 
lard  seeking  its  answer. 

Among  the  first  of  those  thus  influenced  was 
Nina  Sanderson,  who,  although  not  yet  twelve, 
was  quite  old  enough  to  understand  her  cousin’s 
talk  about  the  cross  and  the  love  the  dear  Lord 
Jesus  had  shown  in  dying  on  it  for  her,  and  to 
feel  herself  a great  sinner,  since  the  greatest  of 
all  sins  was  the  ingratitude  of  not  having  in  all 
these  twelve  years  given  her  heart  to  him. 

There  were  no  barriers  in  Nina’s  way.  As  a 
little  child  she  received  the  call  to  “ come  to 
Jesus,”  and,  coming,  found  that  peace,  joy,  and 


310  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

power  to  obey  him , which  makes  for  us  here  on 
earth  “ the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

It  was  while  talking  with  Miss  Maillard,  to 
whom  Lilian  had  brought  her  cousin,  that  Nina 
said,  — 

“ Oh  dear,  suppose  I forget  all  about  it  when 
I go  away  from  here  and  go  home.” 

“ The  Lord  will  not  let  you  forget  if  you  trust 
him  and  pray  constantly  to  him.” 

“ Still,”  said  Katie,  who  had  come  into  the 
room,  “ it  would  be  a great  help  to  the  girls  if 
they  could  join  the  church  at  once,  so  as  to 
commit  themselves  and  feel  that  they  are  really 
on  the  Lord’s  side,  and  that  everybody  knows 
it.  I felt  a great  deal  stronger  after  I had 
joined  the  church.” 

“ A good  many  parents,”  said  Miss  Maillard, 
“ object  to  having  their  children  become  church- 
members  when  they  are  very  young,  and  some 
church  officers  will  not  receive  them.  There  is 
an  impression  that  very  young  people  do  not 
know  their  own  minds  upon  such  subjects,  and 
may  change  them.” 

“ Sophronia  did  n’t,”  said  Lilian. 

“ Yet  I think,”  resumed  the  teacher,  “ that  the 


FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIFE . 


311 

church  ought  to  take  care  of  its  lambs,  even 
more  tenderly  than  its  sheep,  and  it  is  a great 
help  to  feel  one’s  self  committed.” 

The  result  of  this  conversation  was,  that  Miss 
Maillard,  having  thought  and  prayed  over  the 
matter,  at  the  next  prayer-meeting  produced  a 
little,  long  book,  bound  in  blue  morocco,  and 
said, — 

“ Girls,  I have  thought  that  as  these  pleasant 
meetings  and  happy  days  must  before  very  long 
come  to  an  end,  it  would  be  pleasant  to  me  to 
have  a record  of  the  names  of  all  of  you  who 
have  chosen  the  Lord  Jesus  for  your  friend  and 
Saviour,  and  pleasant  for  you  to  know  that  I 
have  this  list  of  names,  and  am  praying  for  you 
when  we  are  separated  from  each  other.  I 
would  like  to  have  as  many  of  you  as  choose  to 
do  so  write  your  names  in  this  little  book.  No 
one  need  do  so  unless  she  wants  to,  and  I hope 
no  one  will  be  so  untruthful  as  to  want  to 
unless  she  feels  she  can  honestly  sign  this  cove- 
nant which  I have  written  at  the  top  of  the 
page.” 

The  covenant  was  as  follows  : “ We,  the  un. 
dersigned,  believe  that  we  have  found  Jesus 


3 1 2 THREE  YEARS  A T GLEN  WO  OD. 


to  be  our  dear  friend  and  precious  Saviour,  and 
promise,  in  his  strength,  to  be  his  faithful  ser- 
vants and  loving  children  forever.” 

The  book  was  then  laid  on  the  table,  and  at 
the  close  of  the  meeting  quite  a number  of  girls 
came  forward,  eager  to  sign  it.  This  the  teacher 
would  not  allow  until  she  had,  by  conversation 
with  each,  convinced  herself  that  she  was  in 
earnest,  and  at  least  believed  that  what  she  said 
was  true.  In  some  instances  she  would  not 
allow  them  to  sign  until  they  had  consulted 
their  parents,  — who,  by  the  by,  usually  gave 
their  consent,  — but  by  degrees  page  after  page 
filled  up,  and  at  the  close  of  Miss  Maillard’s 
connection  with  Glenwood  her  “ covenant- 
book”  contained  two  hundred  and  forty  names , 
representing  as  many  immortal  souls,  whom  she 
could  not  but  hope  had,  as  the  result  of  her 
efforts  and  the  blessing  of  God,  “ passed  from 
death  unto  life.” 

She  has  still  that  little  blue  book  safely  cared 
for  among  her  choicest  treasures  ; and,  as  from 
time  to  time  she  looks  at  it,  tracing  the  lives  of 
those  who  wrote  those  names,  she  wonders  if 
she  shall  one  day  meet  them  all,  “ without  fault 


FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIFE. 


313 


before  the  throne  of  God.”  Some  of  the  girls 
have  passed  out  of  her  knowledge  ; some  have 
already  “ crossed  the  flood,”  but,  so  far  as  she 
knows , not  one  has  broken  that  solemn  promise 
or  turned  back  from  following  their  precious 
Saviour.  Occasionally  some  young  lady  or  ma- 
tron meets  her  and  reminds  her  of  the  blessed 
time  “ when  I found  Christ  in  your  meetings  ; ” 
or  some  glad  parent  tells  of  a dear  daughter 
gathered  into  the  visible  fold,  whose  name  was 
written  for  her  beneath  the  covenant  when  she 
was  too  small  to  write  it  for  herself.  One  name 
was  put  there  when  its  writer  was  but  eight 
years  old,  and  Miss  Maillard  is  sure  it  was  that 
day  written  also  “ in  the  Lamb’s  Book  of  Life.” 
Amy  Lee’s  name  is  there,  and  Lilian’s,  and 
Nina’s  ; and  on  another  page,  among  those  who 
in  watering  others  were  themselves  watered  and 
helped  in  their  Christian  course,  are  those  of 
Katie  Robertson  and  Helen  Lome. 


3 14  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD . 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  SECOND  VACATION. 

I must  pass  lightly  over  the  swiftly 
gliding  weeks  and  months  of  Katie 
Robertson’s  second  year  at  Glenwood. 
Her  faithfulness  in  study  and  her  ambition  to 
get  ahead  had  not  slackened.  As  before,  she 
did  more  work  than  was  assigned  to  her  class  ; 
finishing  and  passing  a good  examination  in  all 
the  junior  studies,  while  adding  several  of  those 
allotted  to  the  “ middle  ” class,  in  which  Helen 
Lome  was.  She  thus  had  more  in  common 
with  her  friend  during  this  year,  and  was  able 
to  enter  the  senior  class,  at  its  close,  “ con- 
ditioned ” on  the  making  up  of  certain  studies, 
which,  with  her  fine  capacity  and  steady  indus- 
try, she  was  sure  to  be  able  to  do. 

Helen  was  not  at  all  jealous  of  her  friend’s 
rapid  progress,  of  which  perhaps,  she  would  have 
been  equally  capable.  She  knew  that,  before 


THE  SECOND  VACATION. 


315 


long,  Katie  must  support  herself  by  teaching, 
and  that  she  ought  not  to  tax  her  uncle’s  gen- 
erosity for  a longer  period  than  was  absolutely 
necessary.  She  devoted  her  own  surplus  time  to 
the  study  of  German  and  some  other  14  extras,” 
which  did  not  come  within  the  ordinary  course. 

There  was  again  a crowded,  hurried  time  at 
the  close  of  the  term  ; books  had  to  be  reviewed, 
examinations  conducted,  papers  corrected,  and 
all  the  multiplicity  of  things  which  make  the 
“ close  ” at  a large  school.  The  weather  was 
growing  warm,  and  as  the  girls  were  fatigued  at 
the  end  of  a five  hours’  session,  Miss  Maillard, 
who  was  wise  as  well  as  devoted,  judged  it  best, 
for  the  present,  to  suspend  her  “ meetings.” 
The  Lord’s  work,  however,  did  not  stop.  The 
girls  often  came  to  her  at  odd  moments  fora  few 
words  of  sympathy  and  counsel,  which,  some- 
how, she  always  found  time  to  give  ; and  from 
time  to  time  a few  more  names  were  added  to 
those  in  the  precious  blue  book.  Nor  did  either 
Katie  or  Helen  ever  find  themselves  so  hurried 
or  over-burdened  as  not  to  be  able  to  speak  a 
word  in  season  “ for  Jesus.” 

Again  there  were  “ entertainments,”  and 


3 16  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD, 


again  Katie  was  called  upon  to  take  a prominent 
part  in  the  “ junior  exhibition/’  But  she  was 
living  very  close  to  the  Lord  now.  She  had 
learned  to  prize  his  favor  more  than  human 
applause,  consequently  the  latter  did  not  in- 
jure her.  She  was  glad  to  go  through  her  part 
creditably,  glad  to  please  and  do  honor  to  her 
teachers,  and  devoutly  grateful  to  God  for  both 
her  ability  and  her  success. 

Helen  Lome  also  took  part  upon  this  occa- 
sion, when  her  beauty,  grace,  and  elocution  cap- 
tivated all  hearts.  But  Helen  was  one  of  those 
in  whom  temptations  to  vanity  and  the  ordinary 
faults  of  school-girls  seem  to  find  no  answering 
weakness.  She  seemed  perfectly  unconscious 
of  the  admiration  which  she  excited,  and  this 
very  simplicity  of  appearance  added  greatly  to 
her  charm. 

The  fact  was,  Helen  was  thinking  of  some- 
thing very  different  that  night.  She  had  just 
received  a long  letter  from  England,  telling  her 
that  her  mother,  who  had  expected  to  return  at 
the  commencement  of  the  vacation,  was  still  so 
delicate  as  to  make  it  expedient  for  her  to  re- 
main abroad  for  another  year,  the  summer  of 


THE  SECOND  VACATION. 


3 1; 


which  would  be  spent  in  Scotland.  At  first 
she  had  thought  of  sending  for  her  daughter  to 
join  her  there,  but  she  had  decided  that  it  was 
inexpedient  for  her  to  lose  the  last  year  of 
her  school  life,  and  the  vacation  seemed  too 
short  to  make  two  long  ocean  voyages  worth 
while.  Helen  must  therefore  give  up  the  hope 
of  seeing  her  parents  for  another  year,  when,  if 
she  had  finished  her  school  life  and  secured 
her  diploma,  she  should  meet  them  abroad,  and 
have  the  advantage  of  a year  or  so  of  Conti- 
nental polish  in  music,  languages,  and  art.  The 
letter  was  a very  affectionate  one,  full  of  sympa- 
thy for  the  young  girl’s  disappointment  and  sor- 
row for  that  of  the  writer,  and  it  contained  so 
many  words  of  earnest  counsel,  suggestions  of 
where  to  look  for  consolation,  and  prayers  and 
hopes  for  the  highest  welfare  of  the  dear  child 
so  far  away,  that  the  young  girl’s  heart  was 
almost  too  full  to  do  justice  to  her  part  in  the 
entertainment,  and  there  was  no  room  for  self- 
exaltation to  creep  in.  Thus  does  our  heavenly 
Father  take  care  nothing  shall  hurt  us,  and  that 
“all  things  shall  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  him.” 


3 1 8 THR  EE  YEAR  S A T GLENIVO  OD. 


When  school  closed,  Helen  went  with  a cousin 
of  her  father’s  to  spend  the  vacation  at  the  sea- 
side, where,  in  a fashionable  watering-place,  the 
tall,  beautiful  girl  of  seventeen  received  an 
amount  of  attention  that  might  have  spoiled  any 
one  not  already  fortified  by  having  early  put 
on  the  armor  of  righteousness  and  taken  the 
shield  of  faith. 

But  the  young  Christian  passed  unscathed. 
She  enjoyed  the  bathing,  and  the  boating,  the 
rambles  by  the  seaside,  and  the  music  and  other 
pleasant  things  at  the  hotel, — even  the  amusing 
and  merry  conversation  of  the  young  men  who 
paid  her  so  much  attention, — as  a child  enjoys 
pleasant  things,  without  connecting  herself  with 
them,  and  still  found  her  chief  happiness  in 
communion  with  her  Saviour  and  in  kindnesses 
done  to  others  for  his  sake.  The  hotel  afforded 
plenty  of  opportunity  for  these.  There  were  so 
many  young  people  and  little  children  to  be 
helped  and  made  happy.  Often  the  best  seat  in 
the  carriage  or  boat  was  cheerfully  given  up  to 
one  of  the  other  girls,  while  she  took  the  least 
desirable.  Often  she  declined  to  join  in  the 
evening  games  of  the  young  people,  that  she 


THE  SECOND  VACATION 


3*9 


might  devote  herself  to  the  amusement  of  the 
little  ones  whom  she  always  gathered  about  her 
on  Sunday  afternoon,  doing  her  best,  by  loving 
words  and  interesting  illustrations,  to  lead  them 
to  him  who  has  said  “ of  such  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.” 

Helen  also  devoted  much  of  her  vacation 
time  to  keeping  up  her  French  and  German,  and 
to  reading  such  solid  books  of  history  and 
travel  as  would  best  fit  her  for  the  delightful 
years  to  be  spent  with  her  parents  abroad. 
And  so  the  vacation  passed  away,  and  Septem- 
ber came  with  its  cooling  breezes  and  its  sug- 
gestions of  labor,  and  the  hard  work  of  rhe 
senior  year  began. 

To  Katie  Robertson  this  vacation  was  much 
like  that  of  last  year.  Once  more  she  enjoyed 
being  with  her  mother  and  brothers,  — for 
Alfred  came  home  this  year,  — and  greatly 
enjoyed  their  surprise  at  her  growth  and  de- 
velopment. 

She  was  “ little  Katie  Robertson  ” no  longer, 
but  a tall,  well-formed  girl  of  seventeen,  with  a 
thoughtful  earnestness  beyond  her  years,  and 
helpful,  womanly  ways  that,  while  they  gratified, 


320  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


puzzled  her  mother,  who  could  somehow  never 
look  upon  Katie  in  any  other  light  than  that 
of  her  “ baby.” 

Alfred,  who  had  not  seen  his  sister  for  almost 
two  years,  was  the  most  surprised  at  the  change 
in  her,  and  could  scarcely  conceal  his  astonish- 
ment, that,  young  man  as  he  was,  and  several 
years  her  senior,  she  was  quite  up  to  him  in 
studies,  in  some  things,  indeed,  surpassing  him. 

Of  course  both  brother  and  sister  had  both 
left  brave,  bold  Eric,  — who  was,  nevertheless, 
developing  into  a good  business  man, — far 
behind  in  point  of  education.  But  Eric  had 
book-learning  enough  for  his  position,  and,  being 
a great  reader,  was  constantly  adding  to  it.  He 
was  steadily  rising  in  the  mill,  and  would  be 
well  able  to  take  care  of  his  mother  when  she 
should  get  tired  of  caring  for  her  “ boarders.” 

One  of  these  she  would  never  give  up. 
Tessa,  the  Italian,  had  become  dear  to  her  as 
another  daughter,  while  with  Eric  she  held  a 
warmer  place  than  his  sister  had  ever  held, 
and  to  Tessa  he  was  a hero  beyond  all  others. 
Their  engagement  was  announced  during  this 
vacation.  They  were  not  to  be  married  quite 


THE  SECOND  VACATION 


321 


yet,  as  both  were  so  young  ; but  before  very  long 
Tessa  was  to  leave  the  mill,  and  become  to  Mrs. 
Robertson  a daughter  indeed.  Katie  was  very 
glad  of  this  expected  change,  not  only  because 
Helen  Lome’s  superior  attractions  had  never 
weakened  her  first  friendship,  but  also  because 
she  foresaw  that  her  future  life  as  a teacher 
would  necessarily  keep  her  much  away  from 
home,  and,  with  Tessa  always  at  hand,  her 
mother  would  not  need  either  her  companion- 
ship or  services. 

Katie  found  Bertie  Sanderson  much  improved. 
She  had  settled  down  to  her  home  life  in  the 
station  appointed  her  by  her  heavenly  Father. 
She  looked  quite  grown  up  and  had  apparently 
changed  her  ambition  to  be  a fine  lady  for  the 
much  more  sensible  one  of  being  a good  and 
useful  woman. 

Her  mother,  whose  health  had  greatly  failed, 
was  becoming  more  and  more  inefficient  every 
day,  and  Bertie  was  by  degrees  assuming  all  the 
duties  of  the  housekeeping,  and  greatly  improv- 
ing the  comfort  of  her  father  and  the  other  in- 
mates of  her  home.  She  consulted  Miss  Eunice 
about  ways  and  means  of  doing  things,  learned 


322 


THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


from  her  various  recipes,  and  altogether  intro- 
duced such  order  and  comfort  as  had  never 
before  been  known  in  that  cheerless  household. 

Bertie  was  sincerely  delighted  at  Nina’s  new 
happiness,  and  was  very  helpful  to  her  little 
sister  in  the  difficulties  of  the  untried  way 
upon  which  she  had  entered.  The  memory  of 
her  own  stumblings  and  fall  had  made  her  not 
only  humble,  but  wise  ; and  she  strove  very  hard 
to  make  Nina  understand  from  the  beginning 
that  the  only  way  to  walk  uprightly  along  the 
pathway  of  holiness  is  to  keep  close  to  Jesus  by 
constant  and  faithful  prayer.  So  thoroughly 
had  Bertie,  by  the  aid  of  divine  grace,  overcome 
her  natural  jealousy,  that  she  was  glad  that 
Nina  was  so  much  prettier  and  more  lady-like 
than  herself,  and  proposed  to  her  father  that 
she  should  continue  to  attend  school  at  Glen- 
wood,  even  though,  to  make  it  possible  for  her 
to  do  so,  she  must  continue  to  do  the  house- 
work without  the  servant  which  he  had  proposed 
to  her  to  keep. 

But  the  greatest  changes  which  had  taken 
place  at  Squantown  were  at  the  “ great  house,” 
as  Mr.  Mountjoy’s  always  continued  to  be  called. 


THE  SECOND  VACATION 


323 


The  house  had  a new  mistress ; for  “ Mr. 
James”  had  brought  home  as  his  bride  the 
young  lady  to  whom  he  had  been  engaged  for  a 
very  long  time,  but  who  would  not  leave  her 
home  till  the  death  of  her  paralytic  father  re- 
leased her  from  her  long  attendance  at  his  bed- 
side. 

She  was  a very  sweet,  gentle  young  lady,  and 
an  earnest,  consecrated  Christian,  as  became 
the  choice  of  a Christian  young  man,  and  she 
did  not  desire  in  the  least  to  interfere  with  or 
displace  Miss  Eunice  as  head  of  her  father's 
house ; but  the  eldest  sister,  who  had  so  long 
devoted  herself  to  the  care  of  her  family,  and 
been  mother,  sister,  and  housekeeper  in  one, 
was  very  glad  to  be  relieved  of  some  of  her 
cares,  and  have  time  to  devote  herself  more 
fully  to  her  outside  Christian  work  than  she  had 
yet  been  able  to  do. 

There  was  plenty  of  such  occupation  await- 
ing her,  for  the  sunshine  of  the  house  — bright, 
happy,  busy  Etta  — was  gone.  The  places  that 
had  known  her  knew  her  no  more,  and  she  was 
more  missed  in  Squantown  than  any  five  other 
girls  would  have  been.  Etta  Mountjoy  no 


324  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


longer  existed,  but  Etta  Cole  had  gone  with 
her  young  minister-husband  to  his  new  parish, 
where  her  indomitable  energy  was  already  be- 
ginning to  make  itself  felt  in  various  ways. 
The  older  girls  of  her  Sunday-school  class  had 
been  transferred  to  Miss  Eunice’s  Bible-class,  of 
which  they  had  so  long  been  almost  a part,  but 
the  younger  ones  remained,  and  some  others  had 
been  added  to  them,  and  for  this  class  the  su- 
perintendent had  been  vainly  seeking  a teacher 
ever  since  Etta  went  away.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  vacation  he  proposed  to  Katie  Rob- 
ertson to  take  the  vacant  place,  and,  though  at 
first  she  shrank  with  natural  timidity  from  rul- 
ing where  she  had  once  served,  it  seemed  so 
plainly  her  duty  to  fill  a place  for  which  there 
was  no  one  else,  that  she  accepted  it  with  a 
deep  sense  of  responsibility  and  many  earnest 
prayers  for  God’s  help  and  blessing.  She  found 
the  work  extremely  delightful,  and,  while  thus 
gaining  her  first  experience  in  her  future  work 
of  teaching,  was  filled  with  grateful  joy  at  being 
made,  during  those  vacation  hours,  the  instru- 
ment in  God’s  hands  of  leading  two  of  her 
pupils  to  rest  and  peace  in  Jesus. 


THE  SECOND  VACATION. 


325 


Miss  MaillarcTs  vacation  was  greatly  bright- 
ened by  the  letters  which  from  time  to  time 
she  received  from  the  girls  with  whom  she 
had  enjoyed  such  pleasant  and  sacred  inter- 
course during  the  winter  and  spring.  They 
were  school-girl  letters,  often  badly  written  and 
worse  spelled,  very  enthusiastic  and  sometimes 
full  of  exaggerated  expressions,  but  the  teacher 
felt  sure  that  underneath  all  this  lay  seeds  of  a 
real  love  for  Christ  and  desire  to  serve  him  ; and 
that  she  was  dear  to  these  young  Christians 
chiefly  for  his  sake  did  not  lessen  her  pleasure  in 
their  affection.  They  told  her  about  the  various 
places  in  which  they  were  scattered  for  the 
summer,  of  the  influence  they  were  trying  to 
exert  over  the  companions  with  whom  they 
were  thrown,  of  their  continued  faithfulness  in 
prayer  and  reading  the  Bible,  and  often  of  their 
forgetfulness  of  these  duties  and  their  conse- 
quent failures  in  living  for  Christ.  They  asked 
multitudes  of  questions,  and  demanded  advice 
upon  various  points,  and  the  teacher's  resting- 
time was  seriously  taxed  by  the  letter-writing 
required  in  return.  But  work  for  Christ  is  so 
sweet  that  Miss  Maillard  was  glad  to  be  wearied 


326  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


in  his  service,  and  thankful  to  be  honored  by 
so  much  work  for  him. 

The  letter  which  perhaps,  on  the  whole,  gave 
her  the  most  pleasure,  we  subjoin  in  full:  — 

My  Dear  Teacher,  — I shall  always  call  you  so, 
though,  as  I passed  the  examination,  I suppose  I shall  be 
promoted  to  another  department  when  I go  back  to 
Glenwood. 

Wherever  I am,  I shall  never  forget  all  that  hap- 
pened while  I was  with  you,  and  I think  if  I go  to 
heaven,  I shall  still  remember  as  the  happiest  hours  of 
my  life  those  spent  in  our  dear  little  prayer-meetings  in 
your  room. 

I am  more  and  more  sure  that  I found  my  Saviour 
then,  and  I love  him  better  and  better  every  day.  He 
makes  me  so  happy  sometimes,  that  I feel  like  a little 
bird  ready  to  float  up  in  the  air,  and  go  where  he  is. 
You  can’t  think  how  different  everything  seems.  I used 
to  feel  cross  and  hateful  to  everybody  ; I thought  every- 
body was  unkind  and  did  things  on  purpose  to  tease 
me,  I did  n’t  enjoy  anything,  and  sometimes  I wanted 
to  die,  only  I knew  I could  n’t  go  to  heaven  because  I 
was  n’t  a Christian,  and  I was  afraid.  Now  I seem  to 
love  everybody  and  everybody  seems  to  be  kind  to  me, 
and  I would  not  be  afraid  to  die  this  minute,  for  I think 
I should  go  right  to  Jesus,  — don’t  you  ? 

I ’m  having  the  most  splendid  time.  I never  was  in 
the  country  for  a whole  summer  before,  and  perhaps 
you  will  wonder  how  I came  here. 

Augusta  — that ’s  my  married  sister,  you  know  — was 


THE  SECOND  VACATION 


32; 


n’t  very  well,  and  her  husband,  Mr.  Peake,  got  board 
for  her  a little  way  out  of  town,  where  he  could  come 
every  night,  and  then  they  invited  me  to  come  with  them, 
because  the  doctor  said  I had  never  really  got  over  that 
dreadful  sickness  a year  ago,  and  that  I needed  plenty 
of  country  feeding  and  country  air. 

It  has  done  me  lots  of  good.  I never  ate  so  much  in 
my  life,  and  never  felt  so  well  and  strong.  I can  walk  as 
far  and  climb  as  well  as  any  girl  here.  I suppose  country 
air  is  good  for  me  ; but  I think  Jesus  is  making  me  well 
and  strong,  because  I ask  him  to  do  so  every  day.  Don’t 
you  think  it  is  right  to  believe  that  he  gives  us  what  we 
pray  for  ? He  says  he  does.  That  makes  me  think  how 
Augusta  and  I have  agreed  to  pray  every  day  that  Mr. 
Peake  may  become  a Christian.  Augusta  has  been  a 
member  ot  the  church  for  a long  time,  but  I did  not  use  to 
think  that  she  cared  much  about  such  things.  But  since 
we  have  been  together  alone  here,  she  has  told  me  that 
she  wishes  she  had  been  more  faithful  to  Christ,  and  she 
is  so  anxious  that  her  husband  shall  be  a Christian,  so 
that  they  can  both  serve  him  together.  When  she  first 
told  me  this,  she  did  n’t  seem  to  think  there  was  much 
chance,  but  I got  my  Bible  and  showed  her!the  promise, — 
“ If  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth  as  touching  any- 
thing that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them.” 

“ I wish  I had  your  faith,  little  Lily,”  she  said. 

“ It  is  n’t  my  faith  ; it ’s  just  believing  what  God  says. 
How  can  we  help  it,  if  he  is  God  ? ” 

So  we  agreed  that  we  two  would  pray  about  this  one 
thing  till  God  had  given  us  the  answer  ; and  ever  since  I 
think  Augusta  is  fonder  of  me  than  she  ever  was  before, 
though  she  was  always  very  good-natured  and  kind. 


328  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD . 


This  is  the  longest  letter  I ever  wrote  in  my  life, 
and  I have  been  a good  many  days  in  writing  it,  but  I 
want  to  tell  you  just  one  thing  more.  We  are  not  board- 
ing in  a fashionable  hotel,  but  it  is  a pretty  large  house, 
for  all  that,  and  there  are  over  twenty  children  in  it.  I 
did  so  want  to  help  somebody  to  find  Jesus,  that  one  Sun- 
day afternoon  I asked  some  of  them  if  they  did  not  want 
to  come  up  in  the  barn  and  have  Sunday-school  (there  is 
no  Sunday-school  here,  and  the  church  is  so  far  off  that 
we  can’t  often  go  to  it)  ; and  they  said  Yes,  and  all  ex- 
cept the  babies  came.  I took  my  Bible  and  “ Moody  and 
Sankey  ” book,  and  some  of  the  others  had  Bibles  too. 

We  climbed  up  in  the  loft,  where  it  is  just  lovely 
among  the  hay,  and  seated  ourselves,  and  sang  hymns, 
and  read  one  of  your  chapters,  and  I tried  to  tell  them 
some  of  the  things  you  said  about  it.  I prayed,  too  ; 
I thought  I should  be  afraid,  but  I was  n’t  a bit  after  I 
began.  I just  asked  Jesus  to  help  me,  and  it  seemed 
as  easy  as  possible. 

Every  Sunday  since  that,  we  have  had  Sunday-school 
in  the  barn,  and  every  one  seems  to  like  it.  Some  of 
the  other  girls  pray  now,  but  I can’t  tell  whether  they 
are  Christians  or  not.  Please  pray  for  our  Sunday- 
school  in  a barn,  and  pray  for 

Your  affectionate 
Lilian.1 

1 The  above  letter  is  a condensation  from  two  or  three  now 
in  the  writer’s  possession.  The  story  of  the  barn  Sunday- 
school  is  verbatim. 


THE  SENIOR  YEAR, 


329 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  SENIOR  YEAR. 

HE  “ Senior  year  ” has  in  it  elements  of 
difference  from  all  those  which  have 
preceded  it.  Not  only  are  the  studies 
more  numerous  and  severe,  but  there  is  a good 
deal  of  class  work  carried  on  among  the  girls 
themselves  which  seems  to  draw  them  closer 
together  than  ever  before,  now  that  they  are  so 
soon  to  be  separated. 

There  were  thirty  girls  in  the  class  of  187-, 
to  which  Katie  belonged,  and  Helen  Lome 
was  chosen  president  by  general  acclamation. 
They  held  regular  weekly  meetings,  where  busi- 
ness was  done  systematically,  and  matters  of 
great  importance  to  the  class,  but  of  little  interest 
to  any  one  outside,  were  discussed.  As  there 
was  great  diversity  of  opinion  upon  every  point 
brought  forward,  there  was  plenty  of  opportu- 
nity for  the  exercise  of  a meek  and  quiet  spirit 


330  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD, 


and  of  that  charity  which  suffereth  long  and  is 
kind,  and  the  Christian  spirit  that  in  honor 
prefers  one  another. 

The  class,  however,  was  a united  one ; and 
throughout  the  year  nothing  occurred  which  in 
any  degree  militated  against  its  peace  and  har- 
mony. Perhaps  this  was  largely  owing  to  the 
influence  of  the  president,  who  managed  to  per- 
suade the  girls  to  commence  every  meeting 
with  earnest  prayer  for  God’s  guidance  and 
blessing.  They  were  shy  and  embarrassed  at 
first,  but  Helen  Lome  prayed  as  naturally  as 
she  spoke,  and  Katie  Robertson’s  prayers  were 
so  simple  and  earnest  that  the  others  soon 
found  there  was  nothing  very  formidable  in  the 
exercise,  and  sometimes  the  class-meetings  were 
half  prayer-meetings,  two  or  three  of  the  girls 
following  each  other  with  short,  earnest  prayers. 
It  is  not  probable  that  this  weekly  half-hour 
was  lost  time  either  to  the  harmony  or  intellec- 
tual progress  of  the  class. 

It  had  long  been  a custom  of  Glenwood  for 
the  seniors  to  conduct  a fortnightly  newspaper, 
which,  though  only  copied  by  hand  and  read 
aloud  in  the  chapel  on  Friday  afternoons,  was 


THE  SENIOR  YEAR . 


331 


conducted  with  great  propriety  and  form,  and 
considered  by  the  whole  school  as  a very  bril- 
liant periodical.  But  the  class  of  187-  improved 
upon  the  idea,  and  commenced  the  publication 
of  a monthly  magazine,  taking  entire  charge  of 
both  the  editorial  and  publishing  departments. 
Katie  and  Helen  were  editors ; two  of  the  day- 
scholars,  whose  fathers  were  in  the  printing 
business,  were  publishers  ; and  so  energetic  was 
the  “ advertising  committee  ” that  the  publishers 
not  only  paid  all  their  expenses,  but  presented 
the  class  with  a surplus  of  seventy-five  dollars, 
which  was  expended  in  gifts  for  the  teachers 
brought  most  into  connection  with  the  class.1 

Moreover,  this  winter  the  seniors  attended 
several  very  valuable  courses  of  popular  lectures 
which  were  given  in  the  city,  Madame  Brunot, 
the  new  French  teacher,  accompanying  and 
chaperoning  such  of  them  as  were  boarders. 
One  of  these  courses,  being  descriptions  of 
foreign  travel,  portrayed  in  vivid  language  and 
illustrated  by  magnificent  stereoscopic  views, 
was  of  great  interest  both  to  Helen  and  Katie  ; 
to  the  former,  because  she  could  trace  the  route 
1 An  actual  fact. 


332  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 


of  her  parents  from  place  to  place  in  their  jour- 
neyings  ; to  the  latter,  because  she  and  her  friend 
could  talk  together  about  the  places  to  which 
the  latter  was  probably  going,  and  the  things 
she  would  be  most  likely  to  see. 

The  “ seniors  ” were  looked  upon  as  quite 
grown  up  by  the  rest  of  the  school,  and  treated 
with  great  respect.  Even  the  teachers  and 
trustees  seemed  to  feel  for  them  a sort  of 
deference.  In  the  course  of  the  winter,  after- 
noon receptions  were  given  by  two  of  the  latter, 
at  which  members  of  the  class  were  introduced 
to  many  well-known  citizens  and  some  literary 
celebrities,  and  just  before  the  close  of  the 
year  the  president  himself  gave  a brilliant 
evening  party,  to  which  they  and  the  teachers 
were  invited,  and  where  there  was  an  elegant 
supper  table  spread  in  an  inner  room,  while  the 
piazzas  and  lawns  were  illuminated,  and  a band 
discoursed  sweet  music.  To  unsophisticated 
Katie  it  seemed  quite  like  fairy-land. 

As  may  be  supposed,  in  such  a multiplicity  of 
occupations  and  interests,  the  senior  year  slipped 
rapidly  away.  Our  young  friends  were  startled, 
as  each  successive  text-book  was  finished  and 


THE  SENIOR  YEAR . 


333 


laid  aside,  to  find  how  rapidly  their  school  life 
was  drawing  to  an  end,  and  were  sometimes  sad 
to  think  of  the  inevitable  partings  so  closely  at 
hand.  Helen  and  Katie,  however,  managed,  no 
matter  how  hurried  they  were,  always  to  attend 
Miss  Maillard’s  prayer-meetings,  and  the  sweet 
memories  connected  with  their  work  at  and  in 
connection  with  these  would,  they  felt,  be  a tie 
between  them  which  could  never  be  broken. 

As  before,  Katie  remained  at  the  boarding- 
house during  the  Christmas  vacation,  and  was 
very  glad  of  the  time,  which  she  utilized  in 
making  up  some  of  those  back  studies  of  the 
“ middle  ” class.  As  only  one  or  two  other 
girls,  however,  remained,  and  these  were  not 
her  especial  friends,  she  was  sometimes  a little 
lonely  and  homesick,  especially  in  the  evenings. 
It  seemed,  therefore,  a real  kindness  in  Miss 
Perry  when,  one  evening,  she  invited  the  lonely 
girl  to  accompany  her  to  a “ Christmas  specta- 
cle ” at  the  Academy,  for  which  tickets  had  been 
given  her,  and  she  went  to  put  on  her  things 
with  great  pleasure.  Had  Miss  Perry  said 
theatre  instead  of  academy , and  play  instead  of 
spectacle , Katie  would  have  declined  to  go, 


334  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

though,  indeed,  she  had  very  little  idea  what 
the  theatre  is  like,  having  only  heard  of  it  as 
something  which  professing  Christians  do  not 
usually  attend. 

The  brilliantly  lighted  hall,  the  decorations, 
the  crowds  of  gaily-dressed  people,  the  fine 
orchestral  music,  the  scenery  and  costumes 
of  the  actors,  the  perfection  of  the  acting,  were 
not  without  great  charms  for  the  young  girl. 
But  she  soon  discovered  that  it  was  really  the 
theatre  at  which  she  was  present,  and  her  sensi- 
tive conscience  took  the  alarm  and  made  her 
feel  very  uncomfortable.  Yet,  at  first,  she  could 
see  nothing  objectionable,  and  she  began  to 
wonder  why  Christians  did  not  approve  of  such 
a beautiful  place,  when,  suddenly,  one  of  the 
actors  uttered  an  oath,  and  another  stumbled 
on  to  the  stage  in  a state  of  seeming  intoxi- 
cation. 

“ Oh,  how  dreadful,”  said  Katie,  turning  her 
head  away  and  shading  her  eyes  ; “ how  can 
that  man  have  got  there  ; have  n't  they  police- 
men enough  to  keep  him  out  ? ” 

“Nonsense,”  said  Miss  Perry,  “he  isn't 
drunk  ; it 's  only  part  of  the  play.” 


THE  SENIOR  YEAR. 


335 


“ But  why  should  he  pretend  anything  so 
dreadful  ? ” 

“ Don’t  be  silly,  child  ; watch  and  you  will 
see  that  it  is  n’t  real.” 

And  Katie  did  watch,  while  the  great  and 
respectable  audience  laughed  and  applauded  at 
the  pretence  of  things  which,  had  they  existed 
in  real  life,  they  would  have  blushed  and  turned 
away  from  in  disgust.  It  was  well  that  she  was 
too  unsophisticated  to  understand  the  double 
meanings  which  underlay  some  of  the  witty 
things  said,  or  at  all  to  appreciate  the  plot, 
which  was  the  usual  struggle  between  weak 
virtue  and  temptations  to  vice  with  which  the 
moral  drama  and  most  modern  novels  are  re- 
plete, in  which,  although  virtue  is  always  tri- 
umphant, suggestions  of  quite  another  possible 
termination  have  found  lodgment  in  the  minds 
of  the  spectators.  Other  young  girls  were  in 
those  boxes  to  whom  the  suggestions  were  quite 
intelligible,  and  the  galleries  were  crowded  with 
young  men  and  boys  who  find  the  theatre  a 
night-school  of  vice,  from  which  they  are  pro- 
moted to  the  open  saloons  which  gape  on  either 
hand,  and  graduated  thence  into  complete  and 
eternal  ruin. 


336  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

But  there  came  a part  of  the  play  which 
Katie  could  fully  understand.  At  the  moment 
of  her  greatest  temptation  the  actress-heroine 
dropped  upon  her  knees  and  offered  up  an  ear- 
nest prayer  for  help  and  deliverance.  So  per- 
fectly natural  were  the  words,  gestures,  tone, 
and  expression,  that  it  seemed  impossible  not  to 
believe  them  all  real,  and  Katie  Robertson  was 
completely  deceived  by  the  illusion. 

“ I am  so  glad,”  she  said  quite  audibly  ; “ now 
she  will  be  safe  ; God  always  helps  those  that 
ask  him.” 

“ Hush,”  whispered  Miss  Perry,  who  saw  that 
many  curious  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  speaker ; 
“ it  is  not  good  form  to  talk  about  religion  in 
public  places.  Besides,  it ’s  only  acting,  just 
like  all  the  rest.” 

“ Only  acting  ! ” said  Katie  to  herself,  for  she 
dared  not  again  express  her  feelings  aloud  ; 
“ acting  a prayer  ; pretending  to  call  upon  God 
before  all  these  people.  It  ’s  awfully  wicked. 
And  God  is  real,  and  is  here,  and  don't  prete7id 
to  listen.  When  he  hears  words  that  are  not 
said  to  him,  but  pretend  to  be,  I should  think 
he  would  strike  the  actors  dead,  as  he  did  An- 


THE  SENIOR  YEAR. 


337 


anias  and  Sapphira.  It ’s  a lie  as  bad  as  theirs, 
and  a great  deal  worse." 

After  the  play  came  the  Christmas  spectacle , to 
see  which  multitudes  of  children  were  taken  to 
the  theatre,  and  kept  up  to  an  unusually  late 
hour  amid  lights  and  music  and  all  sorts  of 
unnatural  excitements. 

It  was  an  exhibition  of  the  celebrated  “ Bava- 
rian Children,"  who  danced  and  grouped  them- 
selves into  tableaux , taking  attitudes  which 
could  only  be  possible  after  long  training  and 
incessant  practice. 

The  garlands  and  shining  costumes,  and  the 
symmetrical  motion  and  perfect  time  kept  by  so 
many  arms,  legs,  and  heads,  had  certainly  a bewil- 
deringly  pretty  effect,  though  Katie,  not  being 
acquainted  with  the  secret  of  closely  fitting  buff 
underclothing  was  somewhat  scandalized  at  so 
many  apparently  almost  naked  children. 

“ It  is  pretty,"  said  Miss  Perry  to  a lady  who 
sat  beside  her,  “ and  yet  it  is  hard  to  admire  it 
when  one  thinks  of  all  the  beating  and  starving 
those  unfortunate  children  have  been  subjected 
to  in  order  to  make  them  attain  such  perfection 
of  drill.  Seen  under  gaslight,  and  painted  up  as 


338  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENIVOOD. 

they  are,  they  look  like  plump,  rosy  children; 
but  I am  told  that  the  emaciation  of  some  of 
them  is  pitiful.  Their  faces  are  wizened  and 
drawn,  and,  though  they  are  half  starved  and 
drugged  with  whiskey  and  tobacco  to  keep 
them  small,  they  look  more  like  puny  old  men 
and  women  than  happy,  healthy  little  ones.” 
“The  worst  feature  of  it,”  said  her  friend,  “is 
the  entire  deprivation  of  education  to  which  the 
poor  little  unfortunates  are  subjected.  Forced 
to  spend  eight  or  ten  hours  a day  in  dancing 
and  posing,  they  are  taught  nothing  else ; and 
when  at  last  they  grow  too  old  or  too  big  to 
appear  any  longer  as  children,  they  are  turned 
adrift  on  the  world,  knowing  nothing  that  will 
fit  them  to  gain  an  honest  livelihood,  and  what 
is  to  become  of  them  God  only  knows.” 

“ I wonder  if  any  one  ever  tells  them  of 
Jesus,”  thought  Katie;  “if  there  is  a Sunday- 
school  for  them;  if  they  ever  go  to  church.” 
Had  she  expressed  herself  aloud,  the  audience 
would  have  been  considerably  amused  at  the 
conceit  of  a Sunday-school  for  the  Bavarian 
Children,  or  of  a company  of  actors  attending 
church. 


THE  SENIOR  YEAR. 


j39 


“I  wonder,”  again  said  Katie  to  herself,  “how 
Miss  Perry  and  her  friend  and  other  Christian 
people  can  go  to  see,  and  thus  lend  their  coun- 
tenance to,  such  wickedness  as  they  have  been 
talking  about.”  If  the  young  girl  had  known 
(as,  fortunately  for  her,  she  did  not,)  the  exceed- 
ingly bad  character  and  reputation  of  the  actress 
who  had  imitated  the  prayer,  — a reputation 
which  completely  shut  her  out  of  respectable 
society,  — her  wonder  would  have  been  still 
greater  that  reputable,  so-called  Christian  people 
should  not  only  patronize  her,  but  even  take 
their  young  daughters  and  sons  to  see  her,  ex- 
cusing themselves  on  the  plea  that  “art  is  above 
criticism.” 

In  describing  the  occurrences  of  this  night 
to  her  mother,  Katie  closed  her  letter  by  say- 
ing:— 

I don’t  ever  want  to  go  near  the  theatre  again.  At 
the  very  best  it  is  only  pretending,  or,  in  other  words, 
lying.  It  makes  fun  of  the  holiest  and  sweetest  things, 
and  I don’t  believe  people  can  ever  be  made  more  true 
and  pure  by  falsehood.  But  I think  it  is  a great  deal 
worse  than  that.  There  were  things  said  that  night, 
which,  though  I did  not  understand  them,  made  me  feel 
uncomfortable  to  listen  to.  And  I was  made  to  feel  that 


340  THREE  YEARS  A T GLENW00D. 


th«  theatre  was  no  place  in  which  to  speak  about  religion, 
when  we  are  told,  “ Whether  therefore  ye  eat  or  drink,  or 
whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.”  And  when 
we  came  out,  I saw  numbers  of  young  men  go  into  liquor 
saloons  on  both  sides  of  the  theatre  door.  Besides,  when 
I got  home  I found  it  very  hard  to  pray.  I seemed  to 
hear  the  clashing  of  the  musical  instruments,  and  to  see 
the  glitter  and  the  lights  and  the  dancing,  and  I could  not 
think  of  anything  serious  at  all.  I don’t  wonder  it  is  con- 
sidered wrong  for  church  members  to  go  to  the  theatre, 
and  I don’t  mean  ever  to  go  there  again  ? ” 

“ Miss  Lome  takes  the  part  of  the  princess  ; 
Miss  Robertson,  that  of  the  fairy.”  So  said 
Miss  Sage,  as  she  read  over  the  list  of  per- 
formers who  were  to  take  part  in  the  represen- 
tation of  “ Rosedormen,”  which  was  to  be  the 
closing  triumph  of  the  “ Senior  entertainment,” 
given  in  May,  before  the  girls  were  too  much 
exhausted  with  their  closing  studies. 

“ Please  excuse  me,  Miss  Sage,”  said  Helen 
respectfully.  “ I do  not  think  my  mother  would 
approve  of  my  taking  part  in  private  theatri- 
cals.” 

“My  dear,  don’t  use  such  inappropriate  words. 
This  is  only  a school  entertainment.  And  a 
costume  rendering  of  the  German  fairy  story  is 
only  a prettier  way  of  reciting  it.” 


THE  SENIOR  YEAJL 


341 


“I  am  sorry  to  seem  insubordinate,  Miss  Sage, 
or  to  refuse  to  do  anything  which  I am  told  to 
do  by  my  teacher.  But  I am  sure  my  mother 
would  disapprove,  and  I must  insist  upon  de- 
clining.” 

No  one  ever  insisted  upon  Helen  Lome’s 
doing  what  she  did  not  choose  to  do,  and  Miss 
Sage,  sighing  at  the  loss  of  so  beautiful  a prin- 
cess, turned  to  Katie  and  said,  — 

“Then  you  may  be  the  princess,  Miss  Rob- 
ertson. You  are  not  quite  so  tall  as  Miss 
Lome  ; but  you  will  look  very  well.  We  all 
know  your  powers  of  acting.” 

“If  you  please,  Miss  Sage,”  said  Katie,  blush- 
ing furiously,  for  it  cost  her  something  to  be 
true  to  her  principles  by  opposing  her  teacher 
in  the  presence  of  her  companions,  “ I do  not 
approve  of  going  to  the  theatre,  and  I think  this 
is  something  like  it.” 

“ It  is  the  most  incomprehensible  thing  to 
me,”  said  the  teacher,  whose  voice  expressed 
considerable  displeasure,  “that  the  young  people 
of  the  present  day  set  themselves  to  know  more 
than  their  elders  and  those  who  are  set  in 
authority  over  them.  If  this  is  the  religion  of 


342  THREE  FEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 


which  you  make  such  a parade,  I would  prefer  to 
have  less  sanctified  scholars.” 

Katie  winced,  and  Helen  looked  indignant  on 
her  friend’s  account.  But  both  deemed  it  wise 
to  say  nothing  further ; and  Miss  Sage,  running 
her  pencil  through  the  two  names,  wrote  in  two 
others,  saying  as  she  did  so,  — 

“ Miss  Morton  will  be  the  princess,  Miss 
Fowler  the  prince.  I suppose  I shall  have  no 
scruples  to  encounter  here.” 

The  young  ladies  specified  both  bowed  in  ac- 
quiescence, very  glad  that  some  girls  had  scruples 
which  enabled  them  to  take  the  most  prominent 
parts  in  the  entertainment.  For,  indeed,  the 
constant  prominence  of  Helen  Lome  and  Katie 
Robertson  was  exciting  considerable  jealousy  in 
the  class. 

When  Helen  and  Katie  came  to  talk  it  over, 
both  were  convinced  that  they  had  done  right, 
even  though  their  action  had  seemed  to  place 
them  in  antagonism  to  their  teachers. 

They  were  still  more  convinced  of  this  when, 
in  company  with  their  companions,  they  wit- 
nessed the  performance. 

It  was  exceedingly  brilliant.  One  step  had 


THE  SENIOR  YEAR. 


343 


led  to  another,  and  a stage  had  been  erected  in 
the  chapel  directly  in  front  of  the  desk  which 
was  used  every  day  for  morning  prayers. 
Across  this  hung  a curtain,  which,  when  it  was 
drawn  back,  disclosed  the  princess  and  her 
court  in  the  most  brilliant  and  richest  costumes. 
There  was  great  admiration  and  prolonged  ap- 
plause at  the  beautiful  tableaux , the  graceful 
attitudes,  and  the  perfect  acting.  But,  when 
Miss  Fowler,  attired  in  a prince’s  doublet  and 
hose,  gave  Miss  Morton  the  awakening  kiss  quite 
audibly,  there  was  a still  more  audible  hiss 
heard  in  the  audience  ; and  Miss  Sage  felt  that 
she  had  carried  her  plenipotentiary  power  as 
elocution  teacher  too  far. 

“ I would  not  send  my  daughter  to  Glenwood 
Institute,”  said  one  gentlemen  in  the  audience 
to  another,  “for  a thousand  dollars.  Modesty  is 
evidently  not  in  the  curriculum.” 

And  his  companion  said,  “ Amen.” 


344  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD . 


CHAPTER  XX. 

COMMENCEMENT. 

HERE  is  always  a sadness  in  the 
“end”  of  anything,  even  if  it  is  the 
commencement  of  something  better. 
The  breaking  up  of  old  associations,  the  sunder- 
ing of  familiar  ties,  even  the  ceasing  to  perform 
wonted  duties  at  specified  times,  have  in  them 
the  suggestions  of  the  painful  changes  that 
must  come,  one  after  another,  as  “the  fashion  of 
this  world  passeth  away.” 

Even  school-girls  are  often  touched  by  this 
phase  of  sentiment,  although  in  most  cases  the 
“close”  ushers  them  into  the  wider  and  long- 
anticipated  fields  of  pleasure  and  usefulness. 

To  many  of  the  girls  who  expected  to  stand 
as  “sweet  girl-graduates”  on  commencement 
night,  the  long-anticipated  diploma  meant  eman- 
cipation from  restraint,  and  entrance  into  a life 
of  gaiety  and  self-pleasing.  To  some  it  signi- 


COMMENCEMENT. 


345 


fied  merely  rest  from  long-protracted  work ; 
to  others  restoration  to  home  friends  ; to 
others  still  the  gaining  of  an  honorable  indepen- 
dence. But  to  all  alike  it  was  the  closing  up  of 
the  past,  the  seal  put  upon  irresponsible  child- 
hood, the  token  that  girlhood  was  over  and 
womanhood  begun.  Even  the  most  thoughtless 
were  at  times  visited  by  these  feelings ; and  in 
the  occasional  pauses  between  busy  hours  pre- 
ceding examinations  they  served  to  mingle  sad- 
ness with  hopes  of  success. 

Every  opportunity  was  seized  for  cementing 
school  friendships.  Promises  of  frequent  busi- 
ness and  continued  correspondence  were  inter- 
changed, — promises  whose  fulfilment  would, 
within  a year  or  two,  be  swallowed  up  in  the 
rush  and  hurry  of  life’s  duties,  interests,  and 
cares. 

Helen  Lome  and  Katie  Robertson  were 
among  the  girls  to  whom  emancipation  from 
school  and  its  duties  meant  something  more 
than  what  is  technically  called  “ coming  out.” 
It  was  a fuller  development  of  the  life  which 
they  lived  already,  the  presentation  of  broader 
opportunities  and  therefore  of  greater  responsi- 


346  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD . 

bilities.  They  talked  these  responsibilities  over 
a good  deal,  passing  over  the  sadness  of  separa- 
tion in  the  consciousness  of  a friendship  which, 
founded  as  it  was  upon  oneness  in  Christ,  no 
time  could  change,  no  events  break.  No  doubt 
they  talked  a great  deal  of  nonsense,  and 
planned  a great  many  impracticable  things  ; 
but  the  nonsense  was  innocent,  and  the  plans, 
having  reference  mostly  to  the  extension  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  and  the  furtherance  of  his 
work  upon  earth,  must  have  been  pleasing  to 
Him  who  fails  not  in  rewarding  even  a cup  of 
cold  water  given  in  the  name  of  a disciple. 

Katie  Robertson  often  thought  very  seriously 
of  the  duties  and  responsibilities  which  she 
would  soon  be  called  to  meet.  She  had  studied 
with  direct  intent  to  become  a teacher,  and  the 
principal  had  already  exerted  himself  somewhat 
to  secure  a situation  for  her  which  would  be  at 
once  pleasant  and  profitable.  Her  uniform  faith- 
fulness and  docility,  added  to  rare  intellectual 
powers,  had  convinced  all  her  instructors  of  her 
competency  to  fill  any  position  which  could  be 
filled  by  so  young  a girl,  while  her  tried  reli- 
gious principles  fitted  her  to  undertake  that 


COMMENCEMENT.  S47 

moral  control  which  in  a teacher  is  of  much 
greater  importance  than  mere  intellectual  ca- 
pacity. 

At  length,  some  changes  having  been  found 
necessary  in  the  Glenwood  corps  of  teachers, 
Katie  was  offered  the  position  of  assistant  to 
Miss  Maillard,  whose  department  was  becom- 
ing too  large  for  her  to  manage  alone.  As 
this  was  but  a trial  of  her  powers,  only  a small 
salary  was  offered  her  ; but,  on  the  other  hand, 
Miss  Perry  proposed  that  she  should  live  at  the 
boarding-house  and  take  Miss  Thornton’s  place 
as  a sort  of  supernumerary  teacher  for  the 
boarders,  walking  with  them  in  the  morning, 
sitting  with  them  while  they  studied  at  night, 
etc.  Miss  Perry  was  pleased  to  add  that  she 
did  not  know  another  young  girl  whom  she 
would  have  been  willing  to  trust  in  such  a 
responsible  position,  but  that  Miss  Robertson 
had  proved,  by  her  uniform  steadiness,  good 
behavior,  and  Christian  principles,  that  she 
could  be  trusted  anywhere,  and  her  example 
would  be  a benefit  to  all  who  might  be  placed 
under  her  care. 

Of  course  neither  Katie  Robertson  nor  her 


34$  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

friends  could  refuse  so  very  good  and  flattering 
an  offer.  It  was  accepted  with  many  thanks, 
and  on  Katie’s  part  with  great  joy  ; for,  as  her 
board  was  provided  for,  she  would  be  able  to 
save  nearly  all  of  her  little  salary,  and  at  once 
commence  repaying  her  uncle  what  he  had 
expended  upon  her  education.  Mr.  Robertson 
did  not  veto  this  plan  when  it  was  suggested  to 
him,  for  he  admired  the  independent  spirit  of 
his  little  niece ; but  he  quietly  determined  to  lay 
by  all  amounts  received  from  her  and  invest 
them  for  her  benefit. 

Alfred  wrote  that  he  was  delighted  with  the 
plan,  and  he  hoped  it  would  succeed  and  con- 
tinue ; for  as  soon  as  his  studies  were  completed 
he  intended  to  commence  practice  in  the  city, 
and  should  want  Katie  to  keep  house  for  him. 
Eric  and  Tessa  might  have  his  father’s  old  place 
at  Squantown,  but  he  wanted  the  wider  scope 
of  the  city  ; and  his  mother  might  in  the  future 
feel  that  she  had  a town  house  and  a country 
house,  and  could  divide  her  time  between  two 
homes.  Surely,  as  Mrs  Robertson  listened  to 
the  plans  and  considered  the  prospects  of  her 
children*  she  must  have  been  filled  with  shame 


COMMENCEMENT \ 


349 


and  contrition  for  the  murmurings  and  fore- 
bodings of  her  earlier  married  life. 

Katie  Robertson’s  heart,  at  least,  was  full  of 
thanksgiving,  as  one  day  she  slipped  into  the 
chapel,  and,  finding  it  unoccupied,  went  up  into 
the  desk,  which  seemed  hallowed  by  the  many 
morning  prayers  which  had  been  uttered  there, 
and  solemnly  consecrated  herself  to  God’s  ser- 
vice in  this  new  life  upon  which  she  would  so 
soon  enter,  praying  not  only  that  she  might  be 
faithful  to  her  duties,  but  also  that  all  her  influ- 
ence, conscious  and  unconscious,  might  be  holy, 
and  that,  like  Miss  Maillard,  she  might  be  the 
honored  instrument  of  leading  many  immortal 
souls  to  Christ  in  the  dew  of  their  youth. 

Helen  Lome  was,  as  we  have  seen,  to  join 
her  mother  abroad  as  soon  as  the  school  term 
closed.  Mr.  Lome  had  come  over  to  attend  to 
some  business  matters,  leaving  his  wife  at  the 
Isle  of  Wight.  He  would  remain  to  see  his 
daughter  receive  her  diploma,  and  then  take  her 
across  the  ocean  to  rejoin  her  mother.  It  is 
well  for  Helen,  as  it  is  for  us  all,  that  the  curtain 
which  hides  the  future  cannot  be  drawn  back ; 
otherwise,  she  might  be  saddened  at  the  pros- 


35°  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENXVOO *>'. 

pect  of  the  long  years  she  is  to  spend  in  minis- 
tering to  an  invalid  mother,  years  which  contain, 
little  of  earthly  brightness,  and  in  which  her 
youth  will  gradually  fade  away.  But  there  is 
no  fear  that  the  years  will  be  unhappy  ones. 
Helen  has  the  fountain  of  happiness  within  her  ; 
and  let  what  will  come  into  her  life,  it  will  be 
appointed  by  her  Father’s  hand,  and  his  promise 
will  be  verified  — “ My  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee.” 

But  just  now,  amid  all  the  hurry  and  the  sen- 
timental and  solemn  thoughts,  the  question 
which  is  so  greatly  exercising  the  minds  of  the 
“ seniors  ” is  one  of  dress.  That  commence- 
ment dress ! What  girl  who  has  been  gradu- 
ated in  any  of  our  literary  institutions  but  re- 
members its  paramount  importance  over  all  the 
costumes  that  ever  were  worn  before  or  ever 
will  be  worn  again,  unless  perhaps  we  may  except 
the  floating  drapery  of  a bride.  True,  it  is  ac- 
cording to  time-honored  regulations  to  be  simple 
white,  unsullied  by  color  or  jewel ; but  even 
within  these  narrow  limits  there  is  space  for  the 
exercise  of  individual  preference  and  nice  taste. 

Helen  Lome,  in  general,  cared  little  about  her 


COMMENCEMENT. 


35 1 


clothes.  Sne  had  always  been  well,  if  simply, 
dressed,  and  her  taste  was  so  faultless  that  she 
could  not  have  worn  incongruous  articles  or  in- 
harmonious colors.  But  somehow  this  particu- 
lar dress  had  taken  hold  of  her  imagination  in 
an  uncommon  degree.  The  delicate  and  artis- 
tic fancies  of  her  girlish  soul  should  be  somehow 
embedded  in  it,  in  the  form  of  delicate  fabric 
and  exquisite  ornamentation.  So  she  planned 
to  have  it  made  of  the  finest,  sheerest  India  mull, 
trimmed  all  over  with  a profusion  of  real  lace, 
the  question  of  expense  never  coming  into  her 
consideration,  for  Helen  Lome  had  always  had 
as  much  money  as  she  desired,  and  done  with  it 
as  she  pleased.  Her  father  having  given  her 
a hundred  dollars  to  use  in  any  of  the  ex- 
penses demanded  by  the  occasion,  it  was  the 
most  natural  thing  in  the  world  that  she  should 
expend  a large  portion  of  it  upon  her  dress. 

Helen  intended  to  go  out  on  Friday  after- 
noon to  choose  this  all  important  material,  and 
on  Saturday  the  dressmaker  would  take  her 
measure  and  tit  the  dress.  There  was  a class- 
meeting before  school  that  morning,  at  which 
some  important  questions  concerning  badges, 
class  rings,  etc.,  were  discussed. 


352  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD . 

“Isn’t  it  too  bad?”  said  one  girl;  “I  think 
it ’s  a real  shame ; we  shall  be  an  uneven  number 
after  all.” 

“ What  is  it  ? ” “ Tell  us.”  “ I don’t  know,” 

from  a chorus  of  voices. 

“ Only  that  Clotilde  Montaudon  has  backed 
out  ; she  is  n’t  going  to  graduate,  and  there  is 
nobody  else  who  can  properly  read  the  French 
essay.” 

“ Not  going  to  graduate  ! Why  surely  she 
hasn’t  failed  in  her  examinations,  she  is  one  of 
the  best  scholars  in  the  class.” 

“No,  she  hasn’t  failed,  but  she  said — I 
don’t  know  that  I ought  to  repeat  it  — I heard 
her  tell  Miss  Sage.  She  said  that  she  could  n’t 
afford  it.  She  had  no  white  dress,  and  she  had 
just  found  out  that  she  couldn’t  come  in  a col- 
ored one.  She  had  no  money  to  buy  another 
dress,  and  no  time  to  make  it  She  couldn’t 
afford  the  ring  and  badge  either.  It  seems  she 
did  n’t  know  about  these  things  before.  Miss 
Sage  says  she  is  terribly  disappointed,  for  she 
will  have  to  support  herself,  and  the  Glenwood 
diploma  would  be  such  a help  to  her  in  getting 
a situation.” 


COMMENCEMENT. 


353 


The  class  president  listened  to  all  this  with- 
out a word,  only  the  hundred-dollar  cheque 
which  lay  folded  up  in  her  pocket-book  seemed 
to  have  become  unwontedly  heavy  for  a piece  of 
paper.  As  her  fingers  toyed  carelessly  with 
the  Bible  which  lay  upon  the  table  before  her, 
her  eyes  caught  these  words,  — 

“ Whoso  hath  the  world's  goods,  and  beholdeth 
his  brother  in  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  compas- 
sion from  him,  how  doth  the  love  of  God  abide 
in  him." 

Helen  was  impulsive,  but  her  impulses  were 
almost  always  right.  She  did  not  take  long 
to  think  now  ; but,  as  the  order  for  twenty-nine 
rings  and  badges  was  handed  her,  she  quietly 
changed  the  figures  to  thirty,  and  folded  up  the 
paper  without  saying  a word. 

At  recess  she  sought  Clotilde,  who  was  sitting 
at  her  desk  with  her  face  buried  in  her  hands. 
Hearing  a step  close  behind  her,  she  suddenly 
raised  her  head  and  made  hasty  attempts  to  hide 
the  tears  that  would  — though  sorely  against 
her  will  — come  into  her  eyes.  It  was  a great 
disappointment.  She  had  worked  so  hard  for 
that  diploma,  so  much  harder  than  the  other 


354  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

girls,  — obliged  as  she  was  to  study  and  recite 
in  a language  not  her  own,  — and  the  diploma 
meant  so  much  to  her. 

Clotilde  was  not  an  attractive  girl.  Her  face 
was  dark  and  plain ; her  manners  quiet  and 
staid,  entirely  lacking  in  the  conventional 
French  vivacity.  She  had  only  been  at  school 
this  year  and  had  made  no  friends.  This  was 
owing  in  part  to  her  want  of  fluency  in  the 
English  language,  in  part  to  the  necessity 
under  which  she  felt  herself  to  devote  every 
moment  to  her  books,  and  more,  it  is  to  be 
feared,  to  that  tendency  of  American  girlhood 
to  judge  of  social  position  by  dress.  Clotilde’s 
dresses  were  all  made  by  herself,  and,  being  a 
French  girl,  she  could  not  help  making  them  fit 
well  and  look  tastefully ; but  they  were  of  the 
cheapest  possible  materials,  and  worn  to  the 
very  verge  of  shabbiness.  With  neither  Helen 
nor  Katie  would  this  latter  fact  have  proved  a 
barrier  to  friendship.  But  it  was  impossible  to 
know  every  one  of  the  eight  hundred  Glenwood 
pupils,  or  even  to  be  intimate  with  the  thirty 
who  composed  the  senior  class.  They  knew 
Clotilde  as  a good  scholar,  a French  girl,  and 


COMMENCEMENT. 


355 


one  of  the  free  pupils  who  were  every  year  sent 
up  by  the  public  schools  to  receive  a year’s 
finishing  and  a diploma,  after  having  learned  all 
that  they  could  teach,  and  taken  all  the  honors 
that  were  i:i  their  gift  to  bestow. 

“Come  and  walk,”  said  Helen  coaxingly.  “I 
want  to  know  and  remember  all  our  class,  and  I 
don’t  feel  as  if  I knew  you  at  all.” 

Clotilde  would  have  hung  back ; but  Helen’s 
manner  was  very  winning,  and  as  she  said 
nothing  personal,  but  began  to  talk  about  her 
projected  European  travels,  and  asked  her 
French  companion’s  advice  about  things  to  see 
and  to  do  in  her  own  country,  the  latter  soon 
found  herself  chatting  as  she  had  not  done 
since  she  entered  the  school.  Adroitly  leading 
the  conversation  to  herself,  Helen  then  dis- 
covered that  Clotilde  was  the  daughter  of  a 
Protestant  pastor  in  the  south  of  France,  who, 
having  been  deposed  and  driven  from  his  parish 
in  some  of  the  many  political  convulsions  of  the 
country,  had  sought  refuge  in  America  with  his 
daughter  and  her  nurse.  But  the  fatigue  of  the 
journey,  the  loss  of  his  position  and  influence, 
and  perhaps  the  extreme  privations  to  which 


356  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD . 

his  poverty  subjected  him  in  our  rigorous  cli- 
mate, brought  on  a quick  decline,  and  he  died, 
leaving  nothing  in  the  world  for  the  support  of 
his  child,  who  was  then  about  ten  years  old. 

The  old  nurse  of  the  latter,  however,  did  not 
desert  her.  Taking  a small  room,  she  estab- 
lished herself  as  a blanchisseuse ; that  is,  she 
took  in  fine  washing  and  ironing,  doing  up  laces 
and  delicate  muslins  in  a way  known  only  to 
French  women,  and  thus  earned  enough  to  sup- 
port herself  and  the  child,  to  clothe  the  latter 
plainly,  and  to  procure  for  her  such  books  as 
were  required  in  the  public  school  to  which  she 
sent  her. 

Of  course  such  a childhood  had  not  tended  to 
develop  Clotilde’s  gaiety.  In  fact,  the  religion 
of  French  Protestants,  brought  up  in  constant 
antagonism  with  Romanism,  is  apt  to  be  of  a 
stern,  ascetic  sort,  and  Pastor  Montaudon  had 
carefully  instructed  his  little  girl  in  his  own 
religion.  He  had  taught  her  also  everything 
else  that  she  knew,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death 
she  had  been  uncommonly  advanced  for  her  age 
in  all  that  could  be  communicated  through  the 
medium  of  her  own  language.  When  she  went 


COMMENCEMENT. 


357 


to  school,  however,  her  difficulties  were  increased 
by  the  necessity  of  studying  a new  tongue 
which  heretofore  she  had  only  known  colloqui- 
ally, and  of  which  she  spoke  very  little,  having 
lived  entirely  with  her  father  and  nurse,  who 
only  talked  in  French. 

Clotilde’s  gratitude  to  her  nurse,  however, 
and  her  desire  as  early  as  possible  to  relieve  her 
of  her  support  and  pay  back  to  her  something 
of  her  indebtedness,  had  enabled  her  to  over- 
come all  obstacles,  win  the  scholarship,  and 
pass  the  examinations  necessary  for  graduation ; 
and  now  it  was  a serious  disappointment  to  fail 
at  the  last. 

As  Helen  skilfully  drew  out  all  these  particu- 
lars, it  did  not  need  words  to  convey  to  her 
quick  perceptions  that  the  French  nurse  had 
strained  her  resources  to  the  utmost  in  carrying 
her  charge  through  the  necessary  expenses  of 
the  senior  year,  — providing  books,  stationery, 
etc.,  — and  that  to  procure  for  her  gold  rings, 
silver  badges,  and  a delicate  evening  dress  would 
be  an  utter  impossibility. 

“I  am  very,  very  sorry/’  said  the  French  girl, 
when  she  came  to  the  end  of  her  story  ; “ but 


35 8 THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

of  course  it  is  all  for  the  best.  My  papa  used  to 
say  so  always  in  his  many  misfortunes.  ‘All 
things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love 
God.’  Of  course  he  will  take  care  of  me,  but  I 
don’t  see  how.  This  seemed  the  only  way,  and 
I tried  so  hard.  I wonder,”  she  said  with  sudden 
brightness,  “ if  the  trustees  would  not  send  me 
my  diploma,  even  though  I am  not  there  to 
receive  it.  I mean  to  ask  to-day.  Don’t  you 
think  they  would  ? ” 

Helen  thought  it  possible,  but  she  had  an- 
other plan  in  her  head  which  would  not  render 
it  at  all  necessary.  She  had  taken  careful 
note  of  Clotilde’s  height  and  figure,  which  were 
about  the  same  as  her  own,  and  that  afternoon 
she  went  out  shopping  and  purchased  enough 
soft,  fine  white  muslin  to  make  two  dresses.  It 
was  not,  perhaps,  the  gossamer  fabric  of  which 
she  had  dreamed ; but  it  was  quite  fine  enough 
to  satisfy  the  most  delicate  and  ladylike  taste. 
To  the  muslin  she  added  linings  and  a small 
quantity  of  Swiss  embroidery,  enough  to  trim 
neck  and  sleeves,  and  ordered  the  whole  to  be 
sent  to  her  own  dressmaker.  The  addition  of 
two  pairs  of  white  slippers  and  two  of  white 


COMMENCEMENT. 


359 


gloves  (with  proviso  to  change  should  it  be 
necessary),  and  two  white  belts,  and  Helen’s 
shopping  was  complete.  She  ordered  the  dress- 
maker to  make  the  two  dresses  somewhat  dif- 
ferently, leaving  open  certain  seams  for  such 
alterations  as  might  be  necessary,  and  ordered 
Clotilde’s  to  be  sent,  with  no  name,  to  the  dwell- 
ing of  the  blanchisseuse : and  so  delicately  was 
the  whole  thing  done  that  Clotilde  never  knew 
that  the  dress  was  not  a surprise  prepared  for 
her  by  the  indefatigable  exertions  of  her  old 
nurse,  and  she  was  grateful  accordingly. 

“ I declare,”  said  one  of  the  girls  on  Com- 
mencement night,  “ there  is  Clotilde  Montau- 
don,  after  all.  What  a pretty  dress  she  has  — 
so  much  like  Helen  Lome’s.  But  who  would 
have  supposed  that  a girl  whose  parents  are  so 
rich  as  Helen’s  would  be  dressed  so  plainly.” 

And  not  one  of  them  guessed  that  the  thir- 
tieth ring  and  badge  were  paid  for  out  of  the 
money  that  was  to  have  paid  for  Helen’s  real 
lace.  Clotilde,  in  her  innocence,  thought  they 
were  provided  by  the  school,  in  common  with 
the  diploma. 

As  to  Helen  herself,  she  was  very  well  satis- 


360  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLENWOOD. 

fied  with  her  dress,  or  would  have  been  if  more 
important  considerations  had  not  claimed  her 
attention.  First,  there  was  the  music,  then 
the  reports  of  examining  committees  as  to  the 
general  condition  of  the  school,  and  then  the 
essays,  which,  to  the  graduates  themselves, 
were  always  the  most  important  part  of  the 
programme.  They  were  not,  as  a general 
thing,  read  by  the  writers  ; for,  as  the  best 
writers  are  not  usually  the  best  elocutionists,  it 
was  easier  in  this  way  to  represent  the  whole 
class.  Helen's  essay  was  finely  read  by  her 
friend  Katie,  and  the  valedictory  poem,  written 
by  the  latter,  was  beautifully  recited  by  her 
friend,  Helen's  poetic  beauty  adding  greatly  to 
its  effect. 

And  then  came  the  supreme  moment  when 
the  thirty  white-robed  figures  grouped  them- 
selves, as  previously  arranged,  upon  the  plat- 
form, stepping  out  from  the  ranks  as  one  by 
one  each  name  was  called,  to  receive  from 
the  president  of  the  Institute  the  parchment 
diploma,  which  certified  that  they  had  pursued 
the  whole  course  of  study  required  by  the  cur- 
riculum, and  passed  all  the  examinations  with 


COMMENCEMENT. 


361 

honor.  When  the  last  white  roll  had  been 
handed  out,  the  dignified  president  addressed 
them  in  solemn  and  affectionate  words,  con- 
gratulating them  upon  their  success,  and  point- 
ing them  to  the  earnest  life-work  which  lay 
close  before  them.  He  exhorted  them  to  take 
up  this  work  and  do  it  honestly  and  in  the  fear 
of  God,  remembering  that  great  opportunities 
always  brought  with  them  great  responsibili- 
ties— responsibilities  which  no  one  can  meet 
save  by  the  blessing  and  in  the  strength  of 
God. 

An  earnest  prayer  was  then  offered  that  that 
blessing  might  descend  upon  them  ; a hymn  — 
composed,  the  programme  said,  by  one  of  their 
number  (Katie  Robertson  knew  who  that  one 
was)  was  sung — and  the  benediction  was  pro- 
nounced over  their  heads  for  the  last  time  in 
that  place. 

And  here  we  leave  our  Glenwood  girls,  step- 
ping down  from  the  school  platform,  their  ears 
full  of  the  solemn,  inspiriting  words,  their  hearts 
full  of  holy  and  high  resolve.  Stepping  confi- 
dently, because,  in  Helen’s  and  Katie’s  cases  at 
least,  confidingly,  across  the  brook  which  divides 


362  THREE  YEARS  AT  GLEN  WOOD. 

maidenhood  from  womanhood,  and  which,  while 
it  is  one  of  the  still  waters  which  flow  through 
the  green  pastures  of  God’s  love,  is  also  the 
Rubicon  which  can  never  be  recrossed  between 
Katie  Robertson’s  future  life  and  her  three 
years  at  Glenwood. 


A.  L.  Burt*s  Catalogue  of  Books  for 
Young  People  by  Popular  Writers,  52- 
58  Duane  Street,  New  York  ^ n?  ^ 


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Yonge.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

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Jan  of  the  Windmill.  A Story  of  the  Plains.  By  Mrs. 

J.  H.  Ewing.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  SI. 00. 

“Never  has  Mrs.  Ewing  published  a more  charming  volume,  and  that 
Is  saying  a very  great  deal.  From  the  first  to  the  last  the  book  over- 
flows with  the  strange  knowledge  of  child-nature  which  so  rarely  sur- 
vives childhood ; and  moreover,  with  inexhaustible  quiet  humor,  which 
is  never  anything  but  innocent  and  well-bred,  never  priggish,  and  never 
clumsy.  ’ ’ — Academy . 

A Sweet  Girl  Graduate.  By  L.  T.  Meade.  12mo,  cloth, 

illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“One  of  this  popular  author’s  best.  The  characters  are  well  imagined 
and  drawn.  The  story  moves  with  plqpty  of  spirit  and  the  interest  does 
not  flag  until  the  end  too  quickly  comes.” — Providence  Journal. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  52-58  Duane  Street,  Hew  York. 


2 A.  L.  BURT’S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS. 

Six  to  Sixteen:  A Story  for  Girls.  By  Juliana 

Horatia  Ewing.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“There  is  no  doubt  as  to  the  good  quality  and  attractiveness  of  ‘Six  to 
Sixteen.’  The  book  is  one  which  would  enrich  any  girl's  book  Bbelf.” — 
St.  James’  Gazette. 

The  Palace  Beautiful:  A Story  for  Girls.  By  L.  T. 

Meade.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“A  bright  and  interesting  story.  The  many  admirers  of  Mrs.  L.  T. 
Meade  in  this  country  will  be  delighted  with  the  ‘Palace  Beautiful’  for 
more  reasons  than  one.  It  is  a charming  book  for  girls.*’— New  York 
Recorder. 

A World  of  Girls:  The  Story  of  a School.  By  L.  T. 

Meade.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“One,  of  those  wholesome  stories  which  it  does  one  good  to  read.  It 
will  afford  pure  delight  to  numerous  readers.  This  book  should  be  on 
every  girl’s  book  shelf.” — Boston  Home  Journal. 

The  Lady  of  the  Forest : A Story  for  Girls.  By  L.  T. 

Meade.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“This  story  is  written  in  the  author’s  well-known,  fresh  and  easy  style. 
All  girls  fond  of  reading  will  be  charmed  by  this  well-written  story.  It 
Is  told  with  the  author’s  customary' grace  and  spirit.” — Boston  Times. 

At  the  Back  of  the  North  Wind.  By  George  Mac- 

donald.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“A  very  pretty  story,  with  much  of  the  freshness  and  vigor  of  Mr.  Mac- 
donald’s earlier  work.  . . . It  is  a sweet,  earnest,  and  wholesome  fairy 

story,  and  the  quaint  native  humor  Is  delightful.  A most  delightful  vol- 
ume for  young  readers.” — Philadelphia  Times. 

The  Water  Babies:  A Fairy  Tale  for  a Land  Baby. 

By  Charles  Kingsley.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“The  strength  of  his  work,  as  well  as  its  peculiar  charms,  consist  in 
his  description  of  the  experiences  of  a youth  with  life  under  water  in  the 
luxuriant  wealth  of  which  he  revels  with  all  the  ardor  of  a poetical  na- 
ture.”— New  York  Tribune. 

Our  Bessie.  By  Rosa  1ST.  Carey.  12mo,  cloth,  illus- 

strated,  price  $1.00. 

“One  of  the  most  entertaining  stories  of  the  season,  full  of  vigorous 
action,  and  strong  in  character-painting.  Elder  girls  will  be  charmed  with 
it,  and  adults  may  read  its  pages  with  profit.” — The  Teachers’  Aid. 

Wild  Kitty.  A Story  of  Middleton  School.  By  L.  T. 

Meade.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“Kitty  is  a true  heroine — warm-hearted,  self-sacrificing,  and,  as  all 
good  women  nowadays  are,  largely  touched  with  the  enthusiasm  of  human- 
ity. One  of  the  most  attractive  gift  books  of  the  season.” — The  Academy. 

A Young  Mutineer.  A Story  for  Girls.  By  L.  T. 

Meade.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“One  of  Mrs.  Meade’s  charming  books  for  girls,  narrated  in  that  simple 
and  picturesque  style  which  marks  the  authoress  as  one  of  the  first  among 
writers  for  young  people.” — The  Spectator. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A,  L.  BXJKT,  52-58  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


A.  L.  B LET’S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.  3 


BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS. 

Sue  and  I.  By  Mrs.  O’Reilly.  12mo,  cloth,  illus- 

trated,  price  75  cents. 

“A  thoroughly  delightful  book,  full  of  sound  wisdom  as  well  as  fun.”— 
Athenaeum. 

The  Princess  and  the  Goblin.  A Fairy  Story.  By 

George  Macdonald,  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“If  a child  once  begins  this  book,  it  will  get  so  deeply  interested  in 
it  that  when  bedtime  comes  it  will  altogether  forget  the  moral,  and  will 
weary  its  parents  with  importunities  for  just  a few  minutes  more  to  sea 
how  everything  ends.’’ — Saturday  Review. 

Pythia’s  Pupils:  A Story  of  a School.  By  Eva 

Hartner.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  SI. 00. 

“This  story  of  the  doings  of  several  bright  school  girls  is  sure  to  interest 
girl  readers.  Among  many  good  stories  tor  girls  this  is  undoubtedly  one 
of  the  very  best.’ ’-—Teachers’  Aid. 

A Story  of  a Short  Life.  By  Juliana  Horatia  Ewing. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“The  book  is  one  we  can  heartily  recommend,  for  it  is  not  only  bright 
and  interesting,  but  also  pure  and  healthy  in  tone  and  teaching.  — 
Cornier. 

The  Sleepy  King.  A Fairy  Tale.  By  Aubrey  Hop- 

wood  and  Seymour  Hicks.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 
“Wonderful  as  the  adventures  of  Bluebell  are,  it  must  be  admitted  that 
they  are  very  naturally  worked  out  and  very  plausibly  presented. 
Altogether  this  is  an  excellent  story  for  girls.’’ — Saturday  Review. 

Two  Little  Waifs.  By  Mrs.  Molesworth.  12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“Mrs.  Molesworth’s  delightful  story  of  ‘Two  Little  Waifs’  will  charm 
all  the  small  people  who  find  it  in  their  stockings.  It  relates  the  ad- 
ventures of  two  lovable  English  children  lost  in  Paris,  and  isjust  wondi/- 
ful  enough  to  pleasantly  wring  the  youthful  heart.” — New  York  Tribune. 

Adventures  in  Toyland.  By  Edith  King  Hall.  12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“The  author  is  such  a bright,  cheery  writer,  that  her  stories  are 
always  acceptable  to  all  who  are  not  confirmed  cynics,  and  her  record  of 
the  adventures  is  as  entertaining  and  enjoyable  as  we  might  expect.’.’— 
Boston  Courier. 

Adventures  in  Wallypug  Land.  By  G.  E.  Farrow. 

l2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“These  adventures  are  simply  inimitable,  and  will  delight  boys  and  girls 
of  mature  age,  as  well  as  their  juniors.  No  happier  combination  of 
author  and  artist  than  this  volume  presents  could  be  found  to  furnish 
healthy  amusement  to  the  young  folks.  The  book  is  an  artistic  one  in 
every  sense.” — Toronto  Mail. 

Fussbudget’s  Folks.  A Story  for  Young  Girls.  By 

Anna  F.  Burnham.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“Mrs.  Burnham  has  a rare  gift  for  composing  stories  for  children.  With 
a light,  yet  forcible  touch,  she  paints  sweet  and  artless,  yet  natural  and 
strong,  characters.  * ’ — Congregationalism 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  pries  by  tbs 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  62-64  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


4 a.  l.  Burt’s  books  for  young  people. 


BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS. 

Mixed  Pickles.  A Story  for  Girls.  By  Mrs.  E.  M. 

Field.  ISmo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“It  is,  in  its  way,  a little  classic,  of  which  the  real  beauty  and  pathos 
can  hardly  be  appreciated  by  young  people.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say 
of  the  story  that  it  is  perfect  of  its  kind.” — Good  Literature, 

Miss  Mouse  and  Her  Boys.  A Story  for  Girls.  By 

Mrs.  Molesworth.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“Mrs.  Molesworth’s  books  are  cheery,  wholesome,  and  particularly  w<dl 
adapted  to  refined  life.  It  is  safe  to  add  that  she  is  the  best  English  prose 
writer  for  children.  A new  volume  from  Mrs.  Molesworth  is  aJUvays  a 

treat.” — The  Beacon. 

Gilly  Flower.  A Story  for  Girls.  By  the  author  of 

“ Miss  Toosey's  Mission.”  12m o,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“Jill  is  a little  guardian  angel  to  three  lively  brothers  who  tease  and 
play  with  her.  . . . Her  unconscious  goodness  brings  right  thoughts 

and  resolves  to  several  persons  who  come  into  contact  with  her.  There  is 
no  goodiness  in  this  tale,  but  its  influence  is  of  the  best  kind.” — Literary 
World. 

The  Chaplet  of  Pearls ; or,  The  White  and  Black  Bibaii- 

mont.  By  Charlotte  M.  Yonge.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 
“Full  of  spirit  and  life,  so  well  sustained  throughout  that  grown-up 
readers  may  enjoy  it  as  much  as  children.  It  is  one  of  the  best  books  of 
the  season.” — Guardian. 

Naughty  Miss  Bunny:  Her  Tricks  and  Troubles.  By 

Clara  Mcleolland.  i2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“The  naughty  child  is  positively  delightful.  Papas  should  not  omit  the 
book  from  their  list  of  juvenile  presents.” — Land  and  Wator. 

Meg’s  Friend.  By  Alice  Corkran.  12mo,  cloth, 

illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“One  of  Miss  Corkran’s  charming  books  for  girls,  narrated  in  that  simple 
and  picturesque  style  which  marks  the  authoress  as  one  of  the  first  among 
writers  for  young  people.” — The  Spectator. 

Averil.  By  Rosa  N.  Carey.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated, 

price  $1.00. 

“A  charming  story  for  young  folks.  Averil  is  a delightful  creature- 
piquant,  tender*  and  true — and  her  varying  fortunes  are  perfectly  real- 
istic.”— World. 

Aunt  Dianx.  By  Rosa  IT.  Carey.  12mo,  cloth,  ill  us- 

trated,  price  $1.00. 

“An  excellent  story,  the  interest  being  sustained  from  first  to  last. 
This  is,  both  in  its  intention  and  the  way  the  story  is  told,  one  of  the 
best  books  of  its  kind  which  has  come  before  us  this  year.” — Saturday 
Review. 

Little  Sunshine’s  Holiday:  A Picture  from  Life.  By 

Miss  Mulock.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“This  is  a pretty  narrative  of  child  life,  describing  the  simple  doings 
and  sayings  of  a very  charming  and  rather  precocious  child.  This  is  a 
delightful  book  for  young  people.” — Gazette. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  th« 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  52-58  Duane  Street,  New  Yore. 


A.  L.  Boards  BOOKS  iron  iOUKG  PEOPLE.  § 


BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS. 

Esther’s  Charge.  A Story  for  Girls.  By  Ellen  Everett 

Green.  l2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“ . . . This  is  a story  showing  in  a charming  way  how  one  little 

girl’s  jealousy  and  bad  temper  were  conquered;  one  of  the  best,  most 
suggestive  and  Improving  of  tbe  Christmas  juveniles.” — New  York  Trib- 
une. 

Fairy  land  of  Science.  By  Arabella  B.  Buckley. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“We  can  highly  recommend  it;  not  only  for  the  valuable  information 
It  gives  on  tbe  special  subjects  to  which  it  is  dedicated,  but  also  as  a 
book  teaching  natural  sciences  in  an  interesting  way.  A fascinating 
little  volume,  which  will  make  friends  in  eyery  household  in  which  there 
are  children.” — Daily  News. 

Merle’s  Crusade.  By  Rosa  K Carey.  12ino,  cloth, 

illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“Among  the  books  for  young  people  we  bave  seen  nothing  more  unique 
than  this  book.  Like  all  of  this  author’s  stories  it  will  please  young  read- 
ers by  the  very  attractive  and  charming  style  in  which  it  is  written.” — 

Journal. 

Birdie:  A Tale  of  Child  Life.  By  H.  L.  Ciiilde- 

Pemberton.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“The  story  is  quaint  and  simple,  but  there  is  a freshness  about  it 
that  makes  one  hear  again  the  ringing  laugh  and  the  cheery  shout  of  chil- 
dren at  play  which  charmed  his  earlier  years.” — New  York  Express. 

The  Days  of  Brace:  A Story  from  Scottish  History. 

By  Grace  Aguilar.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“There  is  a delightful  freshness,  sincerity  and  vivacity  about  all  of  Grace 
Aguilar’s  stories  which  cannot  fail  to  win  the  interest  and  admiration  of 
every  lover  of  good  reading.” — Boston  Beacon, 

Three  Bright  Girls : A Story  of  Chance  and  Mischance. 

By  Annie  E.  Armstrong.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“The  charm  of  the  story  lies  in  the  cheery  helpfulness  of  spirit  devel- 
oped in  the  girls  by  tbeir  changed  circumstances;  while  the  author  finds 
a pleasant  ending  to  all  their  happy  makeshifts.  The  story  is  charmingly 
told,  and  the  book  can  be  warmly  recommended  as  a present  for  girls.” — 
Standard. 

Giannetta : A GirFs  Story  of  Herself.  By  Rosa  Mul- 

Holland.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“Extremely  well  told  and  full  of  interest.  Giannetta  is  a true  heroine— 
warm-hearted,  self-sacrificing,  and,  as  all  good  women  nowadays  are, 
largely  touched  with  enthusiasm  of  humanity.  The  illustrations  are  un- 
usually good.  One  of  the  most  attractive  gift  books  of  tbe  season.” — Th® 
Academy. 

Margery  Merton’s  Girlhood.  By  Alice  Corkran. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“The  experiences  of  an  orphan  girl  who  in  infancy  is  left  by  her 
father  to  the  care  of  an  elderly  aunt  residing  near  Paris.  The  accounts 
of  the  various  persons  who  have  an  after  influence  on  the  story  are  sin- 
gularly vivid.  There  is  a subtle  attraction  about  tbe  book  which  will  make 
it  a great  favorite  with  thoughtful  girls.” — Saturday  Review. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,,  A„  L„  BURT , 62-58  Duane  Street,  New  York, 


6 A.  L.  BURT’S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS. 

Under  False  Colors:  A Story  from  Two  Girls’  Lives. 

By  Sarah  Doudney.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1 .00. 

“Sarah  Doudney  has  no  superior  as  a writer  of  high-toned  stories — pure 
in  style,  original  in  conception,  and  with  skillfully  wrought  out  plots;  but 
we  have  seen  nothing  equal  in  dramatic  energy  to  this  book.” — Christian 

Leader. 

Sown  the  Snow  Stairs;  or,  From  Good-night  to  Good- 

morning.  By  Alice  Corkran.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 
“Among  all  the  Christmas  volumes  which  the  year  has  brought  to  our 
table  this  one  stands  out  facile  princeps — a gem  of  the  first  water,  bearing 
upon  every  one  of  its  pages  the  signet  mark  of  genius.  . . . All  is  told 

with  such  simplicity  and  perfect  naturalness  that  the  dream  appears  to  be 
a solid  reality.  It  is  indeed  a Little  Pilgrim’s  Progress.” — Christian 
Leader. 

The  Tapestry  Room:  A Child’s  Romance.  By  Mrs. 

Molesworth.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“Mrs.  Molesworth  is  a charming  painter  of  the  nature  and  ways  of 
children;  and  she  has  done  good  service  in  giving  us  this  charming 
juvenile  which  will  delight  the  young  people.” — Athenaeum,  London. 

Little  Miss  Peggy:  Only  a Nursery  Story.  By  Mrs. 

Molesworth.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

Mrs.  Molesworth ’s  children  are  finished  studies.  A joyous  earnest  spirit 
pervades  her  work,  and  her  sympathy  is  unbounded.  She  loves  them 
with  her  whole  heart,  while  she  lays  bare  their  little  minds,  and  expresses 
their  foibles,  their  faults,  their  virtues,  their  inward  struggles,  their 
conception  of  duty,  and  their  instinctive  knowledge  of  the  right  and  wrong 
of  things.  She  knows  their  characters,  she  understands  their  wants, 
and  she  desires  to  help  them. 

Polly:  A New  Fashioned  Girl.  By  L.  T.  Meade. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1 .00. 

Few  authors  have  achieved  a popularity  equal  to  Mrs.  Meade  as  a 
writer  of  stories  for  young  girls.  Her  characters  are  living  beings  of 
flesh  and  blood,  not  lay  figures  of  conventional  type.  Into  the  trials 
and  crosses,  and  everyday  experiences,  the  reader  enters  at  once  with  zest 
and  hearty  sympathy.  While  Mrs.  Meade  always  writes  with  a high 
moral  purpose,  her  lessons  of  life,  purity  and  nobility  of  character  are 
rather  inculcated  by  example  than  intruded  as  sermons. 

One  of  a Covey.  By  the  author  of  “Miss  Toosey’s 

Mission.'”  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“Full  of  spirit  and  life,  so  well  sustained  throughout  that  grown-up 
readers  may  enjoy  it  as  much  as  children.  This  ‘Covey’  consists  of  the 
twelve  children  of  a hard-pressed  Dr.  Partridge  out  of  which  is  chosen  a 
little  girl  to  be  adopted  by  a spoiled,  fine  lady.  We  have  rarely  read 
a story  for  hoys  and  girls  with  greater  pleasure.  One  of  the  chief  char- 
acters would  not  have  disgraced  Dickens’  pen.” — Literary  World. 

The  Little  Princess  of  Tower  Hill.  By  L.  T.  Meade. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“This  is  one  of  the  prettiest  hooks  for  children  published,  as  pretty 
as  a pond-lily,  and  quite  as  fragrant.  Nothing  could  be  imagined  more 
attractive  to  young  people  than  such  a combination  of  fresh  pages  and 
fair  pictures;  and  while  children  will  rejoice  over  it — which  is  much 
better  than  crying  for  it — it  is  a hook  that  can  be  read  with  pleasure 
even  by  older  hoys  and  girls.” — Boston  Advertiser.  

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  52-58  Duane  Street,  New  York, 


A.  lu  BUE-r'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.  % 

BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS. 

Rosy.  By  Mbs.  Moleswobth.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated, 

price  75  cents. 

Mrs.  Molesworth,  considering  the  quality  and  quantity  of  her  labors, 
is  the  best  story-teller  for  children  England  has  yet  known. 

“This  is  a very  pretty  story.  The  writer  ‘knows  children,  and  their 
ways  well.  The  illustrations  are  exceedingly  well  drawn.”— Spectator. 

Esther : A Book  for  Girls.  By  Rosa  N.  Caeey.  12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“She  inspires  her  readers  simply  by  bringing  them  in  contact  with  the 
characters,  who  are  in  themselves  inspiring.  Her  simple  stories  are  wove® 
in  order  to  give  her  an  opportunity  to  describe  her  characters  by  their  ow* 
conduct  in  seasons  of  trial.” — Chicago  Times. 

Sweet  Content.  By  Mbs.  Moleswobth.  12mo,  cloth, 

1 illustrated,  price  75  cents, 

“It  seems  to  me  not  at  all  easier  to  draw  a lifelike  child  than  to  draw 
a lifelike  man  or  woman:  Shakespeare  and  Webster  were  the  only  two 

men  of  their  age  who  could  do  it  with  perfect  delicacy  and  success. 
Our  own  age  is  more  fortunate,  on  this  single  score  at  least,  having  a 
larger  and  far  nobler  proportion  of  female  writers;  among  whom,  since 
the  death  of  George  Eliot,  there  is  none  left  whose  touch  is  so  exquisite 
and  masterly,  whose  love  Is  so  thoroughly  according  to  knowledge*  whose 
bright  and  sweet  invention  is  so  fruitful,  so  truthful,  or  so  delightful  as 
Mrs.  Molesworth’s.” — A.  C.  Swinbourne. 

Honor  Bright ; or.  The  Four-Leaved  Shamrock.  By  the 

author  of  “ Miss  Toosey’s  Mission."  13mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 
“It  requires  a special  talent  to  describe  the  sayings  and  doings  of 
children,  and  the  author  of  ‘Honor  Bright,’  ‘One  of  a Covey,’  possesses  that 
talent  in  no  small  degree.  A cheery,  sensible,  and  healthy  tale.” — The 

Times. 

The  Cuckoo  Clock.  By  Mbs.  Moleswobth.  12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“A  beautiful  little  story.  It  will  be  read  with  delight  by  every  child 
into  whose  hands  it  is  placed.  . . . The  author  deserves  all  the  praise 

that  has  been,  is,  and  will  be  bestowed  on  ‘The  Cuckoo  Clock.’  Children’s 
stories  are  plentiful,  but  one  like  this  is  not  to  be  met  with  every  day.” — 
Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

The  Adventures  of  a Brownie.  As  Told  to  my  Child. 

By  Miss  Mulock.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“The  author  of  this  delightful  little  book  leaves  It  In  doubt  all  through 
whether  there  actually  is  such  a creature  in  existence  as  a Brownie,  but 
she  makes  us  hope  that  there  might  be.” — Chioago  Standard. 

Only  a Girl:  A Tale  of  Brittany.  From  the  French 

by  C.  A.  Jones.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“We  can  thoroughly  recommend  this  brightly  written  and  homely  nar* 
rative.” — Saturday  Review. 

little  Rosebud;  or.  Things  Will  Take  a Turn.  By 

Beatrice  Harraden.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“A  most  delightful  little  book.  . . . Miss  Harraden  is  so  bright,  so 

healthy,  and  so  natural  withal  that  the  book  ought,  as  a matter  of  duty, 
to  be  added  to  every  girl’s  library  in  the  land.” — Boston  Transcript. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  saut  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher  A.  L BURT,  52-58  Duane  Street.  New  York. 


8 A,  tfc  BURT'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS, 

Girl  Neighbors ; or,  The  Old  Fashion  and  the  New.  By 

Sarah  Tytler.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1,00, 

“One  of  the  most  effective  and  quietly  humorous  of  Miss  Tytler’s  stories. 
3Girl  Neighbors’  is  a pleasant  comedy,  not  so  much  of  errors  as  of  preju- 
dices  got  rid  of,  very  healthy,  very  agreeable,  and  very  well  written.”— 
Spectator,, 

The  Little  Lame  Prince  and  Eis  Traveling  Cloak.  By 

Miss  Mulock.  !2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“No  sweeter — that  is  the  proper  word — Christmas  story  for  the  little 
folks  could  easily  be  found,  and  it  is  as  delightful  for  older  readers  as 
well.  There  is  a moral  to  it  which  the  reader  can  find  out  for  himself.  If 
he  chooses  to  think.’’ — Cleveland  Herald. 

Little  Miss  Joy.  By  Emma  Marshall.  12mo,  cloth, 

illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“A  very  pleasant  and  instructive  story,  told  by  a very  charming  writer 
In  such  an  attractive  way  as  to  w*i  favor  among  its  young  readers.  The 
illustrations  add  to  the  beauty  of  the  book.” — Utica  HeraLd. 

The  House  that  Grew.  A Girl’s  Story.  By  Mrs.  Moles- 

worth.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents, 

“This  is  a very  pretty  story  of  English  life.  Mrs.  Moleswortb  is  one 
of  the  most  popular  and  charming  of  English  story-writers  for  children. 
Her  child  characters  are  true  to  life,  always  natural  and  attractive, 
and  her  stories  are  wholesome  and  interesting.”- — Indianapolis  Journal. 

The  House  of  Surprises.  By  L.  T.  Meade.  12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  certs. 

“A  charming  tale  of  charming  children,  who  are  naughty  enough  to  be 
interesting,  and  natural  enough  to  be  lovable;  and  very  prettily  their  story 
Is  told.  The  quaintest  yet  most  natural  stories  of  child  life.  Simply 
delightful.” — Vanity  Fair. 

The  Jolly  Ten:  and  their  Year  of  Stories.  By  Agnes 

Carr  Sage.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

The  story  of  a band  of  cousins  who  were  accustomed  to  meet  at  the 
“Pinery,”  with  “Aunt  Roxy.”  At  her  fireside  they  play  merry  games, 
have  suppers  flavored  with  innocent  fun,  and  listen  to  stories — each  with 
its  lesson  calculated  to  make  the  ten  not  less  jolly,  but  quickly  re- 
sponsive to  the  calls  of  duty  and  to  the  needs  of  others. 

Little  Miss  Dorothy.  The  Wonderful  Adventures  of 

Two  Little  People.  By  Martha  James.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75c. 
“This  is  a charming  little  juvenile  story  from  the  pen  of  Mrs.  James, 
detailing  the  various  adventures  of  a couple  of  young  children.  Their 
many  adventures  are  told  in  a charming  maimer,  and  the  book  will 
please  young  girls  and  boys.” — Montreal  Star. 

Pen’s  Venture.  A Story  for  Girls.  By  Elvirton 

Wright.  12m o,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

Something  Pen  saw  in  the  condition  of  the  cash  girls  in  a certain  store 
gave  her  a thought;  the  thought  became  a plan;  the  plan  became  a ven- 
ture— Pen’s  venture.  It  is  amusing,  touching,  and  instructive  to  read  about 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 

publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  Duane  Street,  New  York, 


Tl.  L.  BURP'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.  $ 


FAIRY  BOOKS. 

The  Blue  Fairy  Book.  Edited  by  Andrew  Lang.  Pro- 

fusely  illustrated,  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

4 ‘The  tales  are  simply  delightful.  No  amount  of  description  can  de 
them  justice.  The  only  way  is  to  read  the  book  through  from  cover  t « 
cover.” — Book  Review? 

The  Green  Fairy  Book.  Edited  by  Andrew  Lang. 

Profuseiy  illustrated,  l2zno,  cloth,  price  $3.00. 

“The  most  delightful  book  of  fairy  tales,  taking  form  and  contents  to- 
gether, ever  presented  to  children.” — E.  S.  Hartland,  in  Folk- Lore, 

The  Yellow  Fairy  Book,  Edited  by  Andrew  Lang, 

Profusely  illustrated,  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

“As  a collection  of  fairy  tales  to  delight  children  of  al?  ages*  it  raofcg 

second  to  none.’1 — Daily  Graphic. 

The  Bed  Fairy  Book,  Edited  by  Andrew  Lang.  Pro- 

fuselv  illustrated,  12mo,  cloth,  price  ftl.CO, 

“A  gift-book  that  will  charm  any  child,  and  all  older  folk,  who  have 
been  fortunate  enough  to  retain  their  taste  for  the  old  nursery  stories..”— 
Literary  World. 

Celtic  Fairy  Tales.  Edited  by  Joseph  Jacobs,  32mo, 

doth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“A  stock  of  delightful  little  narratives  gathered  chiefly  from  the  Celtic- 
speaking peasants  of  Ireland.  A perfectly  lovely  book.  And  oh!  the 
wonderful  pictures  inside.  Get  this  book  if  you  can;  It  is  capital,  all 
through. ” — Pall  Mall  Budget,, 

English  Fairy  Tales.  Edited  by  Joseph  Jacobs.  12mo. 

cloth.,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“The  tales  are  simply  delightful.  No  amount  of  description  can  da 
them  justice.  The  only  way  is  to  read  the  book  through  from  covor  Li 
cover.  The  book  is  intended  to  correspond  to  ‘Grimm’s  Fairy  Tales,* 
and  it  must  be  allowed  that  its  pages  fairly  rival  in  interest  those  o t 
that  well  known  repository  of  folk-lore.”— -Morning  Herald. 

Indian  Fairy  Tales.  Edited  by  Joseph  Jacobs.  12-mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“Mr.  Jacobs  brings  home  to  us  in  a clear  and  intelligible  manner  the 
enormous  influence  which  ‘Indian  Fairy  Tales’  have  had  upon  European 
literature  of  the  kind..  The  present  combination  will  be  welcomed  not 
aloDe  by  the  little  ones  for  whom  it  is  specially  combined,  but  also  by 
children  of  larger  growth  and  added  years.” — Daily  Telegraph, 

Household  Fairy  Tales.  By  the  Brothers  Grimm.. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $2,00. 

“As  a collection  of  fairy  tales  to  delight  children  of  all  ages  tbie 

work  ranks  second  to  none.” — Daily  Graphic, 

Fairy  Tales  and  Stories.  By  Hans  Christian  Ander- 

sen.  ISrno,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“If  I were  asked  to  select  a child’s  library  1 should  name  these  three 
volumes,  ‘English,’  ‘Celtic,’  and  ‘Indian  Fairy  Tales,5  with  Grimm  and 
Hans  Andersen’s  Fairy  Tales.” — Independent. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  thft 
publisher,  A L.  BUST,  68-6$  Duane  Street,  Slew  York- 


10  a.  l.  Burt’s  books  for  young  people. 

FAIRY  BOOKS.  - — 

Popular  Fairy  Tales.  By  the  Brothers  Grimm.  12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“From  first  to  last,  almost  without  exception,  these  stories  are  delight* 

f ul.  * ’ — Athencsum. 

Icelandic  Fairy  Tales.  By  A.  W.  Hall.  12mo,  cloth, 

illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“The  most  delightful  book  of  fairy  tales,  taking  form  and  contents  to- 
gether, ever  presented  tj  children.  The  whole  collection  is  dramatic  and 
humorous.  A more  desirable  child’s  book  has  not  been  seen  for  many  a 
day.” — -Daily  News. 

Fairy  Tales  From  the  Far  North.  (Norwegian.)  By 

P.  C.  Asbjornsen.  12m®,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“If  we  were  asked  what  present  would  make  a child  happiest  at  Christ- 
mastide  we  think  we  could  with  a clear  conscience  point  to  Mr.  Jacobs'1 
book.  It  is  a dainty  and  an  interesting  volume.” — Notes  and  Queries. 

Cossack  Fairy  Tales.  By  R.  Nisbet  Bain.  12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“A  really  valuable  and  curious  selection  which  will  be  welcomed  by 
readers  of  all  ages.  . . . The  illustrations  by  Mr.  Batten  are  often 
clever  and  irresistibly  humorous.  A delight  alike  to  the  young  people 
and  their  elders.” — Globe. 

The  Golden  Fairy  Book.  By  Various  Authors.  12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“The  most  delightful  book  of  its  kind  that  has  come  in  our  way  for 
many  a day.  It  is  brimful  of  pretty  stories.  Retold  in  a truly  deightful 
manner.  ’ ’ — Graphic. 

The  Silver  Fairy  Book.  By  Various  Authors.  12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“The  book  is  intended  to  correspond  to  ‘Grimm’s  Fairy  Tales,’5  and  it 
must  be  allowed  that  its  pages  fairly  rival  in  interest  those  of  the  well- 
known  repository  of  folk-lore.  It  is  a most  delightful  volume  of  fairy 
tales.” — Courier. 

The  Brownies,  and  Other  Stories.  By  Juliana  Horatia 

Ewing.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“Like  all  the  books  she  has  written  this  one  is  very  charming,  and 
is  worth  more  in  the  hands  of  a child  than  a score  of  other  stories  of  a 
more  sensational  character.” — Christian  at  Work. 

The  Hunting  of  the  Snark.  An  Agony  in  Eight  Fits. 

By  Lewis  Carroll,  author  of  ‘‘Alice  in  Wonderland.”  12mo,  cloth,  illus- 
trated, price  76  cents. 

“This  glorious  piece  of  nonsense.  . . . Everybody  ought  to  read  it 

— nearly  everybody  will — and  all  who  deserve  the  treat  will  scream  with 
laughter.  ’ ’ — Graphic. 

Lob  Lie-By-the-fire,  and  Other  Tales.  By  Juliana 

Horatio  Ewing.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“Mrs.  Ewing  has  written  as  good  a story  as  her  ‘Brownies,’  and  that 
is  saying  a great  deal.  ‘Lob  Lie-by-the-fire’  has  humor  and  pathos.  and 
teaches  what  is  right  without  making  children  think  they  are  reading  a 
sermon. * • — Saturday  Review.  

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  58-68  Duane  Street,  New  Ton. 


a.  l.  Burt’s  books  for  young  people.  11 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

By  Right  of  Conquest;  or,  With  Cortez  in  Mexico. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  W.  S.  Stacey.  12mo,  cloth, 
olivine  edges,  price  $1.50. 

“The  conquest  of  Mexico  by  a small  band  of  resolute  men  under  the 
magnificent  leadership  of  Cortez  is  always  rightfully  ranked  among  the  most 
romantic  and  daring  exploits  in  history.  ‘By  Right  of  Conquest’  is  the 
nearest  approach  to  a perfectly  successful  historical  tale  that  Mr.  Henty 
has  yet  published.”— Academy. 

For  Name  and  Fame;  or,  Through  Afghan  Passes. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.  12mo,  cloth, 
olivine  edges,  price  $1 .00. 

“Not  only  a rousing  story,  replete  with  all  the  varied  forms  of  excite- 
ment  of  a campaign,  but,  what  is  still  more  useful,  an  account  of  a 
territory  and  its  inhabitants  winch  must  for  a long  time  possess  a supreme 
interest  for  Englishmen,  as  being  the  key  to  our  Indian  Empire.”— 
Glasgow  Herald. 

The  Bravest  of  the  Brave;  or.  With  Peterborough  in 

Spain.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  H.  M.  Paget.  12mc 
cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“Mr.  Henty  never  loses  sight  of  the  moral  purpose  of  his  work — to 
enforce  the  doctrine  of  courage  and  truth,  mercy  and  loving  ki  ldness, 
as  indispensable  to  the  making  of  a gentleman.  Boys  will  rea  ‘The 
Bravest  of  the  Brave’  with  pleasure  and  profit;  of  that  we  are  quite 

sure.” — Daily  Telegraph. 

The  Cat  of  Bubastes : A Story  of  Ancient  Egypt.  By 

G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“The  story,  from  the  critical  moment  of  the  killing  of  the  sacred  cat 
to  the  perilous  exodus  into  Asia  with  which  it  closes,  is  very  skillfully 
constructed  and  full  of  exciting  adventures.  It  is  admirably  illustrated.” 
— Saturday  Review. 

Bonnie  Prince  Charlie:  A Tale  of  Fontenoy  and  Cul- 

loden.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Bro^nk.  12mo, 
cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“Ronald,  the  hero,  is  very  like  the  hero  of  ‘Quentin  Durward.’  The 
lad’s  journey  across  France,  and  his  hairbreadth  escapes,  makes  up  as 
good  a narrative  of  the  kind  as  we  have  ever  read.  For  freshness  of 
treatment  and  variety  of  incident  Mr.  Henty  has  surpassed  himself.”— 

Spectator. 

With  Clive  in  India ; or,  The  Beginnings  of  an  Empire. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.  12mo,  cloth, 
olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“He  has  taken  a period  of  Indian  history  of  the  most  vital  impor- 
tance, and  he  has  embroidered  on  the  historical  facts  a story  which  of 
itself  is  deeply  interesting.  Young  people  assuredly  wiU  be  delighted 
with  the  volume.” — Scotsman. 

In  the  Reign  of  Terror:  The  Adventures  of  a West- 

minster  Boy.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  J.  SchSnberg. 
12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“Harry  Sandwith,  the  Westminster  boy,  may  fairly  be  said  to  beat 
Mr.  Henty’s  record.  His  adventures  will  delight  boys  by  the  audacity 
and  peril  they  depict.  The  story  is  one  of  Mr.  Henty’s  best.” — Saturday 
Review. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publish  er,  A.  L.  BURT,  52-53  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


12  A.  L.  BURT’S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

The  Lion  of  the  North:  A Tale  of  Gustavus  Adolphus 

and  the  Wars  of  Religion.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  John 
Schonberg.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“A  praiseworthy  attempt  to  interest  British  youth  in  the  great  deeds 
of  the  Scotch  Brigade  in  the  wars  of  Gustavus  Adolphus.  Mackey,  Hep- 
burn, and  Munro  live  again  in  Mr.  Henty ’s  pages,  as  those  deserve  to 
live  whose  disciplined  bands  formed  really  the  germ  of  the  modera 
British  army.” — Athenaeum. 

The  Dragon  and  the  Raven;  or.  The  Days  of  King 

Alfred.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  C.  J.  Staniland.  12mo, 
cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

In  this  story  the  author  gives  an  account  of  the  fierce  struggle  be- 
tween Saxon  and  Dane  for  supremacy  in  England,  and  presents  a vivid 
picture  of  the  misery  and  ruin  to  which  the  country  was  reduced  by  the 
ravages  of  the  sea-wolves.  The  story  is  treated  in  a manner  most  at- 
tractive to  the  boyish  reader.” — Athensum. 

The  Young  Carthaginian:  A Story  of  the  Times  of 

Hannibal.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  C.  J.  Staniland.  12mot 
cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

‘‘Well  constructed  and  vividly  told.  From  first  to  last  nothing  stayq 
the  interest  of  the  narrative.  It  bears  us  along  as  on  a stream  whose 
current  varies  in  direction,  but  never  loses  its  force.” — Saturday  Review. 

In  Freedom’s  Cause:  A Story  of  Wallace  and  Bruce. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.  12mo,  cloth, 
olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“It  i3  written  in  the  author’s  best  style.  Full  of  the  wildest  and  most 
remarkable  achievements,  it  is  a tale  of  great  interest,  which  a boy,  once 
he  lias  begun  it,  will  not  willingly  put  one  side.” — The  Schoolmaster. 

With  Wolfe  in  Canada;  or,  The  Winning  of  a Con- 
tinent. By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.  12mo, 
cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

‘‘A  model  of  what  a boys’  story-book  should  be.  Mr.  Henty  has  a 
great  power  of  infusing  into  the  dead  facts  of  history  new  life,  and  as 
no  pains  are  spared  by  him  to  ensure  accuracy  in  historic  details,  his 
books  supply  useful  aids  to  study  as  well  as  amusement.” — School  Guard- 
ian. 

True  to  the  Old  Flag:  A Tale  of  the  American  War  of 

Independence.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  "With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne, 
12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

‘‘Does  justice  to  the  pluck  and  determination  of  the  British  soliders 
during  the  unfortunate  struggle  against  American  emancipation.  The  son 
of  an  American  loyalist,  who  remains  true  to  our  flag,  falls  among  the 
hostile  red-skins  in  that  very  Huron  country  which  has  been  endeared 
to  us  by  the  exploits  of  Hawkeye  and  Chingachgook.” — The  Times. 

A Final  Reckoning:  A Tale  of  Bush  Life  in  Aus- 

tralia.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  W.  B.  Wollen.  12mo, 
cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“All  boys  will  read  this  story  with  eager  and  unflagging  interest.  The 
episodes  are  in  Mr.  Henty ’a  very  best  vein — graphic,  exciting,  realistic; 
and,  as  in  all  Mr*  Henty ’s  books,  the  tendency  is  to  the  formation  of  an 
honorable,  manly,  and  even  heroic  character.” — Birmingham  Pest. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  ty  the 
publisher,  A.  I*.  BURT,  52-53  Ruane  Street,  Hew  Yor&. 


A.  L.  DUET’S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.  13 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

The  Lion  of  St.  Mark:  A Tale  of  Venice  in  the  Four- 

teenth  Century.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne. 
12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“Every  boy  should  read  ‘The  Lion  of  St.  Mark.’  Mr.  Henty  has  never 
produced  a story  more  delightful,  more  wholesome,  or  more  vivacious.” — 
Saturday  Review. 

Pacing  Death:  or,  The  Eero  of  the  Vaughan  Pit.  A 

Tale  of  the  Coal  Mines.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  Gordon 
Browne.  X2mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“The  tale  is  well  written  and  well  illustrated,  and  there  Is  much 
reality  in  the  characters.  If  any  father,  clergyman,  or  schoolmaster 
is  cn  the  lookout  for  a good  book  to  give  as  a present  to  a boy  who  is 
worth  his  salt,  this  is  the  book  we  would  recommend.” — Standard. 

Maori  and  Settler:  A Story  of  the  New  Zealand  War. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  Alfred  Pjzarse  12mo,  cloth* 
olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“In  the  adventures  among  the  Maoris,  there  are  many  breathless 
momenta  in  which  the  odds  seem  hopelessly  against  the  party,  but  they 
succeed  in  establishing  themselves  happily  in  one  of  the  pleasant  New 
Zealand  valleys.  It  is  brimful  of  adventure,  of  humorous  and  interesting 
conversation,  and  vivid  pictures  of  colonial  life.” — Schoolmaster. 

One  of  the  28th:  A Tale  of  Waterloo.  By  G.  A. 

Henty.  With  illustrations  by  W.  H.  Overend.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine 
edges,  price  $1.00. 

“Written- with  Homeric  vigor  and  heroic  inspiration.  It  is  graphic, 
picturesque,  and  dramatically  effective  . . . shows  us  Mr.  Henty  at 

his  best  and  brightest.  The  adventures  will  hold  a boy  enthralled  as  he 
rushes  through  them  with  breathless  interest  ‘from  cover  to  cover.’  ” — 
Observer. 

Orange  and  Green:  A Tale  of  the  Boyne  and  Limer- 

ick. By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.  12mo, 
cloth,  olivine  edges,  price' $1.00. 

“The  narrative  is  free  from  the  vice  of  prejudice,  and  ripples  with 
life  as  if  what  is  being  described  were  really  passing  before  the  eye.” — 
Belfast  News-Letter. 

Through  the  Fray:  A Story  of  the  Luddite  Riots. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  H.  M.  Paget.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine 

edges,  price  $1.00. 

“Mr.  Henty  inspires  a love  and  admiration  for  straightforwardness,  truth 
and  courage.  This  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  many  good  books  Mr. 
Henty  has  produced,  and  deserves  to  be  classed  with  his  ‘Facing  Death.’  ” 

— Standard. 

The  Young  Midshipman:  A Story  of  the  Bombard- 

menfc  of  Alexandria.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges* 
price  $1.00. 

A coast  fishing  lad,  by  an  act  of  heroism,  secures  the  interest  of 
a shipowner,  who  places  him  as  an  apprentice  or.  board  one  of  his  ships. 
In  company  with  two  of  his  fellow-apprentices  he  is  left  behind,  at 
Alexandria,  in  the  hands  of  the  revolted  Egyptian  troops,  and  is  present 
through  the  bombardment  and  the  scenes  of  riot  and  bloodshed  which 
accompanied  it. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 

publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  52-58  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


14  a.  l.  Burt’s  books  for  young  people. 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

In  Times  of  Peril.  A Tale  of  India.  By  6.  A. 

Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

The  hero  of  the  story  early  excites  our  admiration,  and  is  altogether 
a fine  character  such  as  boys  will  delight  in,  whilst  the  story  of  the 
campaign  is  very  graphical! 7 told.” — St.  James’s  Gazette. 

The  Cornet  of  Horse*  A Tale  of  Marlborough's  Wars. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1. 
“Mr.  Henty  not  only  concocts  a thrilling  tale,  he  weaves  fact  and  fiction 
together  with  so  skillful  a hand  that  the  reader  cannot  help  acquiring  a 
just  and  clear  view  of  that  fierce  and  terrible  struggle  known  as  thq 
Crimean  War.’’ — Athenaeum. 

The  Young  Franc-Tireurs:  Their  Adventures  in  the 

Frauco-Prussian  War.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloths 
olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“A  capital  book  for  boys.  It  is  bright  and  readable,  and  full  of  good 
sense  and  manliness.  It  teaches  pluck  and  patience  in  adversity,  an<[ 
shows  that  right  living  leads  to  success.’’ — Observer. 

The  Young  Colonists:  A Story  of  Life  and  War  ta 

South  Africa.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine 
edges,  price  $1.00. 

“No  boy  needs  to  have  any  story  of  Henty ’s  recommended  to  him,  and 
parents  who  do  not  know  and  buy  them  for  their  boys  should  be  ashamed 
of  themselves.  Those  to  whom  he  is  yet  unknown  could  not  make  % 
better  beginning  than  with  this  book. 

The  Young  Buglers.  A Tale  of  the  Peninsular  War. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1 
“Mr.  Henty  is  a giant  among  boys*  writers,  and  his  books  are  sufiflh 
ciently  popular  to  be  sure  of  a welcome  anywhere.  In  stirring  interest^ 
this  is  quite  up  to  the  level  of  Mr.  Henty’s  former  historical  tales.*’-*** 
Saturday  Review. 

Sturdy  and  Strong;  or,  How  George  Andrews  Made  hia 

Way.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edge©, 
price  $1.00. 

“The  history  of  a hero  of  everyday  life,  whose  love  of  tr  th,  clothing  of 
modesty,  and  innate  pluck,  carry  him,  naturally,  from  poverty  to  afflu- 
ence. George  Andrews  is  an  example  of  character  with  nothing  to  cavil 
at,  and  stands  as  a good  instance  of  chivalry  in  domestic  life/’ — The 
Empire. 

Among  Malay  Pirates.  A Story  of  Adventure  and 

Peril.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges, 
price  $1.00. 

“Incident  succeeds  incident,  and  adventure  is  piled  upon  adventure, 
and  at  the  end  the  reader,  be  he  boy  or  man,  will  have  experienced 
breathless  enjoyment  in  a romantic  story  that  must  have  taught  him 
much  at  its  close.’’ — Army  and  Navy  Gazette. 

Jack  Archer.  A Tale  of  the  Crimea.  By  G.  A. 

Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“Mr.  Henty  not  only  concocts  a thrilling  tale,  be  weaves  fact  and  fiction 
together  with  so  skillful  a hand  that  the  reader  cannot  help  acquiring  a 

Jnst  and  clear  view  of  that  fierce  and  terrible  struggle.*’ — Athenseum. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L,  BURT,  58-58  Duane  Street  Wew  York, 


A.  L.  BURT'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.  15 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Friends,  Though  Divided.  A Tale  of  the  Civil  War. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1, 
“It  has  a good  plot;  It  abounds  in  action;  the  scenes  are  equally  spirited 
and  realistic,  and  we  can  only  say  we  have  read  it  with  much  pleasure 
from  first  to  last.” — Times. 

Out  on  the  Pampas;  or,  The  Young  Settlers.  By 

G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 
“A  really  noble  story,  which  adult  readers  will  find  to  the  full  as  satis* 
fying  as  the  boys.  Lucky  boys  I to  have  such  a caterer  as  Mr.  G.  A< 
Henty.” — Black  and  White. 

The  Boy  Knight : A Tale  of  the  Crusades.  By  G.  A, 

Henty.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

“Of  stirring  episode  there  is  no  lack.  The  book,  with  its  careful  accu- 
racy and  its  descriptions  of  all  the  chief  battles,  will  give  many  a school- 
boy his  first  real  understanding  of  a very  important  period  of  history.” — 
St.  James’s  Gazette. 

The  Wreck  of  the  Golden  Fleece.  The  Story  of  a North 

Sea  Fisher  Boy.  By  Robert  Leighton.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1. 
A description  of  life  on  the  wild  North  Sea. — the  hero  being  a parson’s 
son  who  is  appreciated  on  board  a Lowestoft  fishing  lugger.  The  lad  has 
'o  suffer  many  buffets  from  his  shipmates,  while  the  storms  and  dangers 
"7hich  he  braved  on  board  the  “North  Star”  are  set  forth  with  minute 
knowledge  and  intense  power.  The  wreck  of  the  “Golden  Fleece”  forms 
the  climax  to  a thrilling  series  of  desperate  mischances. 

Olaf  the  Glorious.  A Story  of  the  Viking  Age.  By 

Robert  Leighton.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1 .00. 

This  story  of  Olaf  the  Glorious,  King  of  Norway,  opens  with  the  incident 
of  his  being  found  by  his  uncle  living  as  a bond-slave  in  Esthonia;  then 
^ome  his  adventures  as  a Viking  and  his  raids  upon  the  coasts  of  Scot- 
land  and  England,  his  victorious  battle  against  the  English  at  Maldon  i» 
Essex,  his  being  bought  off  by  Ethelred  the  Unready,  and  his  conversion 
co  Christianity.  He  then  returns'  to  Pagan  Norway,  is  accepted  as  king* 
and  converts  his  people  to  the  Christian  faith. 

To  Greenland  and  the  Pole.  A story  of  Adventure  in 

the  Arctic  Regions.  By  Gordon  Stables.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1 
The  unfailing  fascination  of  Arctic  venturing  is  presented  in  this  sjory 
with  new  vividness.  It  deals  with  skilobning  in  the  north  of  Scotland, 
deer-hunting  in  Norway,  sealing  in  the  Arctic  Seas,  bear-stalking  on  the 
ice-floes,  the  hardships  of  a journey  across  Greenland,  and  a successful 
voyage  to  the  back  of  the  North  Pole.  This  is,  indeed,  a real  sea-yarn 
by  a real  sailor,  and  the  tone  is  as  bright  and  wholesome  as  the  adventure! 
are  numerous. 

Yussuf  the  Guide.  A Story  of  Adventure  in  Asia 

Minor.  By  George  Manyille  Fenn.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00, 
This  story  deals  with  the  stirring  incidents  in  the  career  of  a lad  who  has 
been  almost  given  over  by  the  doctors,  but  whc  rapidly  recovers  health 
and  strength  In  a Journey  through  Asia  Minor.  The  adventures  are  many, 
and  culminate  in  the  travellers  being  snowed  up  for  the  winter  in  the 
mountains,  from  which  they  escape  while  their  captors  are  waiting  for 
the  ransom  that  does  not  come. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  ttoe 
publisher  A L.  BURT,  52-58  Duane  Street,  New  Yonc. 


16  A.  L.  BURT'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

(Brettir  the  Outlaw,  A Story  of  Iceland,  By  S.  Bab- 

ING-Qoulu  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  Si. 00. 

4 ‘This  is  the  boys’  book  .of  the  year.  That  is,  of  course,  as  much  as 
,&©  say  that  it  will  do  for  men  grown  as  well  as  juniors.  It  is  told  in 
/Simple,  straightforward  English,  os  all  stories  should  be,  and  it  has  a 
(Ereshneos  and  freedom  which  make  it  irresistible.” — National  Observer. 

3,’wo  Thousand  Years  Ago.  The  Adventures  of  a 

Homan  Boy.  By  A.  J.  Church.  l:!mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 
‘'‘Prof.  Church  has  in  this  story  sought  to  revivify  that  most  interesting 
period,  the  last  days  of  the  Roman  Republic.  The  book  is  extremely  en- 
ter taining  as  well  as  useful;  there  is  a wonderful  freshness  in  the  RomaE 
Beenes  and  characters.” — Times, 

Hat  the  Hatnralist.  A Boy’s  Adventure  in  the  East* 

era  Seas,  By  George  Manville  Fenn.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1,. 
Nat  and  his  uncle  Dick  go  on  a voyage  to  the  Remoter  islands  of  the 
Eastern  sgas,  and  their  adventures  are  told  in  a truthful  and  vastly  in- 
teresting fashion.  The  descriptions  of  Mr.  Ebony,  their  black  comrade, 
and  of  the  scenes  of  savage  life,  are  full  of  genuine  humor. 

The  Leg  of  the  Flying  Fish.  A Story  of  Peril  and 

Adventure.  By  Harry  Oollingwoob,  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated.,  price  $1. 
“This  story  is  full  of  even  more  vividly  recounted  adventures  than  those 
Which  charmed  so  many  boy  readers  in  ‘Pirate  Island’  and  ‘Congo  Rovers.11 
* . . There  is  a thrilling  adventure  on  the  precipices  of  Mount  Everest, 

when  the  .ship  floats  off  and  providentially  returns  by  force  of  ‘gravita- 
tion.’ ’’—Academy, 

Tire  Congo  Hovers.  A Story  of  the  Slave  Squadron. 

By  Harry  Coli.ingwood.  12mo,  cloth,,  illustrated,  price  $!  00. 

“The  scene  of  this  tale  is  laid  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  and  in  the 
lower  reaches  of  the  Congo;  the  characteristic  scenery  of  the  great  river 
being  delineated  with  wonderful  accuracy.  Mr,  Colling  wood  carries  us  off 
for  another  cruise  at  sea,  in  ‘The  Congo  Rovers,’  and  boys  will  need  no 
pressing  to  join  the  daring  crew,  which  seeks  adventures  and  meets  with 
any  number  of  them.” — The. Times. 

Boris  the  Bear  Hunter.  A Tale  of  Peter  the  Great  and 

His  Times  By  Fred  Wishaw.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“This  is  a capital  story.  The  characters  are  marked  and  lifelike,  and  it 
te  full  of  incident  and  adventure.” — Standard. 

jSCiehael  Strogoff ; or,  The  Courier  of  the  Czar.  By 

Jules  Verne.  l2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“The  story  is  full  of  originality  and  vigor.  The  characters  are  lifelikef 
ihere  is  plenty  of  stirring  incident,  the  interest  is  sustained  throughout, 
and  every  boy  will  enjoy  following  the  fortunes  of  the  hero.” — Journal  o i 
Education, 

Mother  Carey’s  Chicken.  Her  Voyage  to  the  Unknown 

I$Ie,  By  George  Manville  Fenn.  I2rr.6,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 
“Undoubtedly  one  of  the  best  Mr.  Fenn  has  written.  The  incidents  are 
of  thrilling  interest,  while  the  characters  are  drawn  with  a care  and  com- 
pleteness rarely  found  in  a boy’s  book. ’’---Literary  World. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  th* 

publisher,  A.  BURT,  62-5B  Duane  Street,  ®New  York 


A.  L.  burt’s  books  for  young  people.  17 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Dick  Sand;  or,  A Captain  at  Fifteen.  By  Jules 

Verne.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"Jules  Verne  himself  never  constructed  a more  marvellous  tale.  It  con- 
tains the  strongly  marked  features  that  are  always  conspicuous  in  hia 
stories — a racy  humor,  the  manly  vigor  of  his  sentiment,  and  wholesome 
moral  lessons.” — Christian  Leader, 

Erling  Idle  Bold.  A Tale  of  the  Norse  Sea  Kings. 

By  R.  M.  Ballantyne.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"This  volume  makes  a really  fascinating  book,  worthy  of  its  telling 
title.  There  is,  we  venture  to  say,  not  a dull  chapter  in  the  book,  not 
a page  which  will  not  bear  a second  reading.” — Guardian. 

Hasterman  Ready;  or,  The  Wreck  of  the  Pacific.  By 

Captain  Marryat.  12tno,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“As  racy  a tale  of  life  at  sea  and  adventure  as  we  have  met  with  for 
some  time.  . . . Altogether  the  sort  of  book  that  boys  will,  revel  in.” 

— Athenaeum. 

The  Green  Mountain  Boys.  A Tale  of  the  Early  Set- 

tlement o?  Vermont.  By  D.  P.  Thompson.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price $1. 
A story  of  very  great  interest  for  boys.  In  his  own  forcible  style  the 
author  has  endeavored  to  show  that  determination  and  patriotic  enthu- 
siasm can  accomplish  marvellous  results.  This  story  gives  a graphic  ac- 
count of  the  early  settlers  of  Vermont,  and  their  patriotic  efforts  in  de- 
fending their  homes  from  the  invasions  of  enemies. 

Every  Inch  a Sailor.  By  Gordon  Stables.  12 mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“A  story  which  is  quite  as  good  in  its  way  as  ‘Treasure  Island,*  and  is 
full  of  adventure  of  a stirring  yet  most  natural  kind.  Although  it  is 
primarily  a boys’  book,  it  is  a real  godsend  to  the  elderly  reader.” — 
Evening  Times. 

The  Golden  Galleon.  A Narrative  of  Adventure  on 

Her  Majesty's  Ship  the  Revenge.  By  Robert  Leighton,  12mo,  cloth, 
illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“This  story  should  add  considerably  to  Mr.  Leighton’s  high  reputation. 
Excellent  in  every  respect,  it  contains  every  variety  of  incident.  The  plot 
is  very  cleverly  devised,  and  the  types  of  the  North  Sea  sailors  are 
capital.” — The  Times. 

The  Gorilla  Hunters.  A Tale  of  the  Wilds  of  Africa. 

By  R.  M.  Ballantyne.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“We  conscientiously  belive  that  boys  will  find  it  capital  reading.  It  is 
full  of  incident  and  mystery,  and  the  mystery  is  kept  up  to  the  last 
moment.  It  is  full  of  stirring  adventure,  daring  and  many  escapes;  and 
it  has  a historical  interest.” — Times. 

Gascoyne  the  Sandalwood  Trader.  By  B.  M.  Bal- 

lantyne.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“One  of  the  best  stories  of  seafaring  life  and  adventure  which  have 
appeared  this  season.  Entertaining  in  the  highest  degree  from  beginning 
to  end,  and  full  of  adventure  which  is  ull  the  livelier  for  its  close  con- 
nection with  history.” — Spectator. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher.  A,  L.  BURT,  62-58  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


18  A.  L.  burt's  books  for  young  people. 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Two  Years  Before  the  Mast.  A Personal  Narrative  of 

Life  at  Sea.  By  R.  H.  Dana,  Jr.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 
“One  of  the  very  best  books  for  boys  that  we  have  seen  for  a long  time: 
its  author  stands  far  in  advance  of  any  other  writer  for  boys  as  a teller 
of  stories  of  the  sea.” — The  Standard. 

The  Young  Rajah.  A Story  of  Indian  Life.  By  W. 

H.  G.  Kingston.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1-00. 

“This  story  will  place  the  author  at  once  in  the  front  rank.  It  is  full 
of  life  and  adventure,  and  the  interest  is  sustained  without  a break  from 
first  to  last.” — Standard. 

How  Jack  Mackenzie  Won  His  Epaulettes.  A Story 

of  the  Crimean  War.  By  Gordon  Stables.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated, 
price  $1.00. 

“This  must  rank  among  the  few  undeniably  good  boys’  books.  He 
will  be  a very  dull  boy  indeed  who  lays  it  down  without  wishing  that 
it  had  gone  on  for  at  least  100  pages  more.” — Mail. 

The  King’s  Pardon.  A Story  of  Land  and  Sea.  By 

Robert  Overton.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

“An  excellent  story,  the  interest  being  sustained  from  first  to  last. 
This  is,  both  in  its  intention  and  the  way  the  story  is  told,  one  of  the 
best  books  of  its  kind  which  has  come  before  us  this  year.” — Saturday; 
Review. 

Under  the  Lone  Star.  A Story  of  the  Revolution  in 

Nicaragua.  By  Herbert  Haynes.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 
“We  have  not  of  late  come  across  a historical  fiction,  whether  intended 
for  boys  or  for  men,  which  deserves  to  be  so  heartily  and  unreservedly 
praised  as  regards  plot,  incidents,  and  spirit  as  this  book.  It  is  its  au- 
thor’s masterpiece  as  yet.” — Spectator. 

Geoff  and  Jim:  A Story  of  School  Life.  By  Ismay 

Thorn.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“This  is  a prettily  told  story  of  the  life  spent  by  two  motherless  bairns 
at  a small  preparatory  school.  Both  Geoff  and  Jim  are  very  lovable  char- 
acters, only  Jim  is  the  more  so;  and  the  scrapes  he  gets  into  and  the 
trials  he  endures  will,  no  doubt,  interest  a large  circle  of  young  readers.” 
■ — Church  Times. 

Jack:  A Topsy  Turvy  Story.  By  C.  M.  Crawley- 

Boevey.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“The  illustrations  deserve  particular  mention,  as  they  add  largely  te 
the  interest  of  this  amusing  volume  for  children.  Jack  falls  asleep  with 
his  mind  full  of  the  subject  of  the  fishpond,  and  is  very  much  surprised 
presently  to  find  himself  an  inhabitant  of  Waterworld,  where  he  goes 
through  wonderful  and  edifying  adventures.  A handsome  and  pleasant 
book.” — Literary  World. 

Black  Beauty.  The  Autobiography  of  a Horse.  By 

Anna  Sewell.  !2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

This  is  the  life  story  of  a horse;  how  he  was  ill  treated  and  weU 
cared  for.  The  experiences  of  Black  Beauty,  Ginger,  and  Merrylegs  are 
extremely  interesting.  Wherever  children  are,  whether  boys  or  girls,  there 
this  Autobiography  should  be.  It  inculcates  habits  of  kindness  to  all  mem- 
bers of  the  animal  creation.  The  literary  merit  of  the  book  is  excellent. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  52-58  Duane  Street,  New  York, 


A.  l.  Burt’s  books  for  young  people.  19 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Mopsa  the  Fairy.  By  Jean  Ingelow.  12mo,  cloth, 

illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“Mrs.  Ingelow  is,  to  our  mind,  the  most  charming  of  all  living  writers 
for  children,  and  ‘Mopsa’  alone  ought  to  give  her  a kind  of  pre-emptive 
right  to  the  love  and  gratitude  of  our  young  folks.  It  requires  genius 
to  conceive  a purely  imaginary  work  which  must  of  necessity  deal  with 
the  supernatural,  without  running  into  a mere  riot  of  fantastic  absurdity; 
but  genius  Mrs.  Ingelow  has,  and  the  story  of  ‘Jack’  is  as  careless  and 
joyous,  but  as  delicate  as  a picture  of  childhood.’’ — Eclectic. 

Carrots:  Just  a Little  Boy.  By  Mrs.  Molesworth. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“One  of  the  cleverest  and  most  pleasing  stories  it  has  been  our  good 
fortune  to  meet  with  for  some  time.  Carrots  and  his  sister  are  delight- 
ful little  beings,  whom  to  read  about  is  at  once  to  become  very  fond  of. 
A genuine  children’s  book;  we’ve  seen  ’em  seize  it,  and  read  it  greedily. 
Children  are  first-rate  critics,  and  thoroughly  appreciate  Walter  Crane's 
illustrations.  ’ ’ — Punoh. 

Larry’s  Luck.  By  the  author  of  “Miss  Toosey’s  Mis- 

sion.”  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“It  is  believed  that  this  story,  by  this  favorably  known  author  of 
‘Miss  Toosey’s  Mission,’  will  be  found  both  highly  interesting  and  instruc- 
tive to  the  young.  Whether  the  readers  are  nine  years  old,  or  twice  as 
old,  they  must  enjoy  this  pretty  volume.” — The  Examiner. 

A Child’s  Christmas:  A Sketch  of  Boy  Life.  By  Mrs. 

Molesworth.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“This  is  another  of  those  delightful  juvenile  stories  of  which  this  author 
has  written  so  many.  It  is  a fascinating  little  book,  with  a charming 
plot,  a sweet,  pure  atmosphere,  and  teaches  a wholesome  moral  in  the 
most  winning  manner.” — Gazette. 

Chunk,  Fusky  and  Snout.  A Story  of  Wild  Pigs  for 

Little  People.  By  Gerald  Young.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 
“The  story  is  an  extremely  interesting  one,  full  of  incident,  told  in  a 
quiet,  healthful  way,  and  with  a great  deal  of  pleasantly  interfused 
information  about  wild  pigs  and  their  ways.  It  is  sure  to  interest  both 
boys  and  girls.” — Christian  Union. 

Daddy’s  Boy.  By  L.  T.  Meade.  12mo,  cloth,  illus- 

/ trated,  price  75  cents. 

“A  charming  story  of  child  life.  Little  Sir  Rowland  is  one  of  the 
t most  fascinating  of  the  misunderstood  child  heroes  of  the  day.  The  quaint 
doings  and  imaginings  of  this  gentle,  lovable,  but  highly  original  child  are 
Introduced  by  Mrs.  Meade,  with  all  her  accustomed  pathos.” — Guardian. 

Adventures  of  Prince  Prigio.  By  Andrew  Lang. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“This  book  has  so  much  charm  of  style  and  good  writing  that  it  will  be 
eagerly  read  by  many  other  than  the  young  folk  for  whom  it  is  intended.” 
—Black  and  White. 

A Flock  of  Four.  A Story  for  Boys  and  Oirls.  By 

Ismay  Thorn.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“As  a gift  book  for  boys  it  is  among  the  best  new  books  of  the  kind. 
The  story  is  interesting  and  natural,  from  first  to  last.” — Gazette. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  52*58  Duane  Street,  Hew  York. 


20  A.  L.  BURT’S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE, 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

A Flat  Iron  for  a Farthing.  The  Story  of  an  Only 

Son.  By  Juliana  Horatia  Ewing.  12mo.  cloth,  illustrated,  price  7,5  cents. 
“A  very  good  book  it  is,  full  of  adventure,  graphically  told.  The  style 
Is  just  what  it  should  be;  simple  but  not  bold,  full  of  pleasant  humor, 
:in(l  with  some  pretty  touches  of  feeling.  Like  all  Mrs.  Ewing’s  tales, 
it  is  sound,  sensible,  and  wholesome.” — Times. 

Ike  Greek  Heroes.  Fairy  Tales  for  My  Children.  By 

Charles  Kingsley,  l&cno,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents, 

‘‘We  do  not  think  these  heroic  stories  have  ever  been  more  attractively 
told.  . . There  is  a deep  under-current  of  religious  feeling  traceable 

throughout  its  pages  which  is  sure  to  influence  young'  readers  power- 
fully. One  of  the  children’s  books  that  will  surely  become  a classic.”— 
London  Review. 

Jackanapes.  By  Juliana  Horatia  Ewing.  12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“This  is  one  of  Mrs.  Ewing’s  charming  little  stories  for  young  children. 
The  narrative  ...  is  full  of  interest  for  its  real  grace  and  delicacy, 
and  the  exquisitoness  and  purity  of  the  English  in  which  it  is  written.”— 
Boston  Advertiser. 

Princess  and  Cardie.  By  George  Macdonald.  12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“One  of  the  cleverest  and  most  pleasing  stories  it  has  been  our  good 
fortune  to  meet  with  for  some  time.  The  Princess  and  Curdie  are  delight- 
ful little  beings,  whom  to  read  about  is  at  once  to  become  very  fond  of.” 
■ — Examiner. 

Peter  the  Pilgrim.  The  Story  of  a Boy  and  His  Pet 

Rabbit.  By  L.  T.  Meade.  ISino,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“Little  Peter,  with  bis  soft  heart,  clever  head,  and  brave  spirit  is  no 
morbid  presentment  of  the  angelic  child  ‘too  good  to  live,’  and  who  is 
certainly  a nuisance  on  earth,  but  a charming  creature,  if  not  a por- 
trait, whom  it  is  a privilege  to  meet  even  in  fiction.” — The.  Academy. 

We  and  the  World.  A Story  for  Boys,  By  Juliana 

Horatia  Ewing  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“The  author  has  evidently  studied  the  ways  and  tastes  of  children  ami 
got  at  the  secret  of  amusing  them;  and  has  succeeded  in  what  is  not 
so  easy  a task  as  it  may  seem — in  producing  a really  good  children’s 
book.” — Daily  Telegraph. 

Little  Ivan’s  Hero.  A Story  of  Child  Life.  By 

Helen  Milman.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

“We  should  imagine  those  queer  folk  indeed  who  could  not  read  this 
story  with  eager  interest  and  pleasure,  be  they  boys  or  girls,  young  or 
old.  We  highly  commend  the  style  in  which  the  book  is  written,  and  the 
spirit  which  pervades  it.” — World. 

Dick,  Marjorie  and  Pidge.  The  Wonderful  Adventures 

of  Three  Little  People.  By  G.  E.  Farrow.  12mo,  cloth,  illust'd,  price  75c. 
“ . . , To  the  young,  for  whom  it  is  especially  intended,  this  is  a 

most  interesting  book  of  adventures,  well  told,  and  a pleasant  book  to 
take  up  when  their  wish  is  to  while  away  a weary  half-hour.  We  have 
seen  no  prettier  gift-book  for  a long  time.” — Aihertavjin. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L . BURT,  62-58  Duane  Street,  New  York;, 


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